Botany and Wetlands Study Report - McMillen, LLC

Botany and Wetlands Study ReportSoutheast Alaska Power AgencyTABLE OF CONTENTS1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 11.1 Project Description .......................................................................................................... 11.2 Purposes of the 2012 Environmental Field Program ....................................................... 11.3 Changes Made to the Study Plan in Response to Comments or Permit Conditions ....... 31.4 Compliance with Permit Terms, Conditions, and Regulatory Framework ...................... 31.4.1 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan ............................................ 31.4.2 Clean Water Act ............................................................................................ 51.4.3 Other Regulations ......................................................................................... 52 Procedures ............................................................................................................. 62.1 Analysis Area ................................................................................................................... 62.2 Pre‐Field Contact with Forest Service and Review of Existing Information .................... 62.3 Field Investigation Surveys .............................................................................................. 72.3.1 Sensitive and Rare Plants .............................................................................. 72.3.2 Wetland Resources ....................................................................................... 73 Environmental Setting ........................................................................................... 83.1 Vegetation Resources ...................................................................................................... 83.2 Sensitive Plants ................................................................................................................ 93.3 Rare Plants ....................................................................................................................... 93.4 Plant Species Newly Documented in Alaska .................................................................. 123.5 General Vegetation Types ............................................................................................. 123.6 Invasive Plants ............................................................................................................... 143.7 Wetland Resources ........................................................................................................ 143.7.1 Forested Wetlands ...................................................................................... 163.7.2 Emergent Sedge Wetlands .......................................................................... 163.7.3 Moss Muskegs ............................................................................................. 164 Project Effects ...................................................................................................... 174.1 Identified Issues and Concerns for Sensitive Plants ...................................................... 174.1.1 Spatulate moonwort (Botrychium spathulatum W.H.Wagner) ................ 18Swan Lake Hydroelectric Project January 2013FERC Project No. 2911 Page i Version: Agency Review