Bureau of Land Management's Decision Record and Environmental

Jersey Valley Geothermal Development Project
Environmental Assessment: NV063-EAO8-09 1
migrations from higher elevations (summer ranges) to lower winter ranges are associated, in part,
with decreasing temperatures, severe snowstorms, and snow depths that reduce mobility and
food supply. Mule deer in the arid southwest may migrate in response to rainfall patterns
(Stamm 2006).
Mule deer crucial winter, summer or year round habitat has not been identified in the Unit Area
or the transmission line corridor (NDOW 2005b, NDOW 2005c and NDOW 2005e). Mule deer
winter habitat was identified in only the easternmost portion of the Jersey Valley Unit Area
(NDOW 2005d).
Bighorn sheep
Bighorn sheep inhabit alpine meadows, grassy mountain slopes and foothill country near rugged,
rocky cliffs and bluffs, allowing for quick escape. In winter, Bighorn sheep prefer slopes 2,500-
5,000 feet where annual snowfall is less than 60 inches a year, because they cannot paw through
deep snow to feed. Their summer range is between 6,000-8,500 feet in elevation (Stamm 2006).
There are no bighorn sheep migration corridors within the Unit Area or the transmission line
corridor (NDOW 2005a). The eastern half of the Jersey Valley Unit Area and the central and
northern portions of the transmission line corridor have been mapped as bighorn sheep
distribution habitat (NDOW 2005a).
Pronghorn antelope
Pronghorn antelope inhabit the grasslands, brushlands, bunch-grass and sagebrush areas of open
plains and deserts (Stamm 2006).
The westernmost portion of the Jersey Valley Unit Area and the southern half of the transmission
line corridor have been mapped as potential Pronghorn antelope habitat (NDOW 2007). The
northern half of the transmission line corridor has been mapped as year-round Pronghorn
antelope habitat (NDOW 2007).
Threatened and Endangered Species
Section 7(c) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended, requires federal
agencies to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) concerning species listed
under the ESA. Consistent with this requirement, a letter requesting information regarding
threatened and endangered species which may occur within the Unit Area and the transmission
line corridor was sent to the USFWS on August 11, 2008.
The USFWS responded in a letter dated September 12, 2008 that, to the best of their knowledge,
no listed or proposed species exist in the subject area (USFWS 2008).
In February 2008, the Nevada Natural Heritage Program (NNHP) provided a Sensitive Taxa
Record Search for endangered, threatened, candidate and/or at risk plant and animal taxa
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