Bureau of Land Management's Decision Record and Environmental

Jersey Valley Geothermal Development Project
Environmental Assessment: NV063-EAO8-091
did not observe any sage-grouse sign within the transmission line corridor during their 2008
survey.
Pygmy Rabbit
Pygmy rabbits are North America’s smallest rabbits, and the only rabbits that commonly
construct their own burrows, usually in stands of tall, dense sagebrush in locations with deep,
loose soils. Pygmy rabbits are patchily distributed throughout most of the Great Basin. Though
locally common, these animals have apparently never been generally abundant during historical
times, and may have undergone serious population declines, habitat and population
fragmentation, and local extinction in recent decades. Pygmy rabbits are sagebrush obligates and
their decline is probably closely related to loss and degradation of sagebrush habitats
(Stamm 2006).
Pygmy habitat was marginal within the surveyed portions of the Jersey Valley Unit Area and
neither pygmy rabbits nor their sign (i.e. burrows, droppings, etc.) were observed (GBE 2008).
The sagebrush associated with some of the drainages crossed by the transmission line corridor
appeared to be suitable habitat for the pygmy rabbit. These drainages were extensively surveyed
and no pygmy rabbits or their sign were observed during the field survey (GBE 2008).
Lahontan beardtongue
Lahontan beardtongue is a tall perennial herb with wand-like stems and showy pink tubular
flowers with darker markings. It is typically found along washes, roadsides and canyon floors,
particularly on carbonate-containing substrates, usually where subsurface moisture is available
throughout most of the summer (NNHP 2001c). It is found at elevations between 3,400 and
4,550 feet amsl.
Given the elevation and soils within the Jersey Valley Unit Area, suitable habitat could exist.
However, the only water sources available throughout the summer were the hot springs and the
associated soils are not suitable for this species. No Lahontan beardtongue was observed during
the survey period within the Jersey Valley Unit Area (GBE 2008). Within the transmission line
corridor, neither Lahontan beardtongue populations nor suitable habitat were observed
(GBE 2008).
Windloving buckwheat
At high elevations the Windloving buckwheat is found on dry, exposed, relatively barren and
undisturbed, gravelly, limestone or volcanic ridges and ridgeline knolls, on outcrops or shallow
rocky soils over bedrock, with Artemisia arbuscula, Ericameria viscidflora, Poa secunda,
Elymus elymoides, Arenaria kingii, etc. At low elevations the Windloving buckwheat is found on
dry, relatively barren and undisturbed knolls and slopes of light-colored, platy volcanic tuff
weathered to form stiff clay soils, on all aspects, with Tetradymia canescens, Ericameria
nauseosa, E. viscidiflora, Atrilex confertifolia, Elymus elymoides, Elymus cinereus, Astragalus
calycosus, etc (NNHP 2001a).
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