Draft Environmental Impact Report - California Off Highway Vehicle ...

3.5 Biological Resources
Plan contains goals and guidelines for protecting water quality during construction and operation
of the SVRA; and (4) the General Plan contains goals and guidelines for monitoring and adaptive
management over the lifetime of the General Plan.
Mitigation Measures: No mitigation is required.
IMPACT
3.5-5
Potential Loss of Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle
Marginally suitable habitat is present for valley elderberry longhorn beetle (VELB), a federally
threatened species, in the isolated blue elderberry shrub that is fenced beside the arroyo willow
habitat at Clay Pit SVRA (Figure 3.5‐1). Because of the isolated nature of the shrub, it is not likely
to be inhabited by VELB. The nearest known VELB occurrence is along the Feather River, 1.4 miles
south of the SVRA (CNDDB 2010). Nevertheless, it is possible that this shrub could provide habitat
for VELB, and activities envisioned in the General Plan, such as the construction of facilities, could
cause destruction of or disturbance to this shrub or individual VELB.
Wildlife Guideline 1.1 of the General Plan includes provisions to protect this shrub and any VELB
that it may contain. USFWS would be consulted to determine whether a protocol‐level VELB
survey is necessary prior to construction of nearby facilities. If USFWS determines that the
elderberry shrub would be considered potential habitat, measures to avoid or mitigate any
potential direct (removal of shrub) or indirect (encroachment on buffer around shrub) impacts
would be identified and implemented according to the standard VELB conservation guidelines
developed by USFWS (USFWS 1999) or alternate guidance received from USFWS. Examples of
mitigation measures include transplantation of elderberry shrubs that cannot be avoided, planting
of additional elderberry seedlings or cuttings and associated native vegetation, and restoration of
damaged buffer areas with native vegetation (USFWS 1999). Implementing these guidelines
would ensure that future development and improvements within Clay Pit SVRA would not result
in significant adverse impacts on this potential VELB habitat or any VELB that it may contain.
Because the General Plan includes guidelines that would protect VELB and potential VELB habitat,
the potential for loss or disturbance of this species or its habitat would be less than significant.
Mitigation Measures: No mitigation is required.
IMPACT
3.5-6
Potential Loss of Special-Status and Nesting Migratory Bird Species
Tricolored blackbird, a California species of special concern, and Swainson’s hawk, a California
threatened species, were observed flying over Clay Pit SVRA during the wildlife survey conducted
on June 22, 2010. No nests were found for either species on the project site, and no suitable
nesting habitat exists for tricolored blackbird. However, the project site contains foraging habitat
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
Draft EIR 3.5-13 February2012