State Route 58 Widening Project - Bakersfield Freeways

Chapter 2 Study Methods
2.2. Studies Required
2.2.1. Literature Review
The BSA includes the current SR-58 ROW and areas located 500 feet north and south
of its centerline.
Prior to conducting field surveys, a list of special-status plant and animal species that
have potential to occur within a ten-mile query radius of the BSA was established by
conducting a literature review. Literature reviewed included the CNPS’ Inventory of
Rare and Endangered Vascular Plants of California (CNPS 2008), the CDFG’s
CNDDB (CDFG 2008), and the USFWS List of Proposed, Threatened, and
Endangered Species (USFWS 2008) for the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) 7.5-minute
quadrangles of Famoso, Lamont, North of Oildale, Oil Center, Oildale, Rosedale, Rio
Bravo, Tupman, Stevens, Gosford, and Wasco. The database searches were updated
(CNPS 2010, CDFG 2010) when the NES was updated in 2010. The USFWS list was
updated in March 2011 (USFWS 2011). The Western Rosedale Specific Plan (Kern
County 1994), the Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan (MBGP) (Bakersfield and
Kern County 2002), the MBHCP, support documents (Thomas Reid Associates 1994,
1991, and 1990), and the USFWS’s Recovery Plan for Upland Species of the San
Joaquin Valley, California (USFWS 1998) were also reviewed.
Other documentation that included information on biological resources in the BSA and
in the general project vicinity were reviewed including: the 7 th Standard Road
Widening Environmental Assessment/Initial Study with Proposed Mitigated Negative
Declaration (Caltrans 2006), the Tier 2 Environmental Assessment/Final
Environmental Impact Report for Westside Parkway (Bakersfield et al. 2006), the
Kern County Waste Facilities Habitat Conservation Plan (Kern County Waste
Management Department 1997), and the Kern Water Bank Authority Habitat
Conservation Plan (Kern Water Bank Authority 1997).
2.2.2. Vegetation Mapping
Vegetation mapping was conducted on March 21, 2007 by walking the BSA, to
describe the vegetation present in the BSA. All plant species observed were recorded
in field notes. A list of species observed is included in Appendix A.
State Route 58 Widening Project Biological Assessment 13