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8.A. - Page 25 <br />Fact 3.3-1 <br />Impact: Project construction may directly or indirectly impact bird species and sensitive <br />bat species and would result in loss of mature tree habitat. Post -construction, there <br />may be impacts to sensitive wildlife and wildlife habitat due to landscaping and <br />maintenance activities. <br />Mitigation: Mitigation Measure Biology -1: If the project construction begins during the <br />breeding season (February 1 — August 31), preconstruction nesting bird surveys <br />shall be conducted within the study area and adjacent suitable habitat by a <br />qualified biologist no more than two weeks prior to equipment or material <br />staging, pruning/grubbing or surface -disturbing activities. Preconstruction surveys <br />are not required for tree removal, pruning, grubbing, grading, or other <br />construction activities conducted outside of the breeding season from September 1 <br />to January 31. <br />If no active nests are found within the action area, no further mitigation is <br />necessary. If active nests (i.e. nests in with eggs or young present) are found <br />within 300 feet of the project footprint for raptor (birds of prey) species or 100 <br />feet of the project footprint for all other bird species, non -disturbance buffers shall <br />be established at a distance sufficient to minimize disturbance based on the nest <br />location, topography, cover, the species' tolerance to disturbance and the <br />type/duration of potential disturbance. Work within non -disturbance buffers shall <br />be rescheduled to occur after the young have fledged as determined by a qualified <br />biologist. Buffer size shall be determined in cooperation with the California <br />Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Migratory <br />Bird Permit Office (Region 1). <br />If rescheduling of work is infeasible and non -disturbance buffers cannot be <br />maintained, a qualified biologist shall be on site to monitor active nests for signs <br />of disturbance. If it is determined that project -related activities are resulting in <br />nest disturbance, work shall cease immediately and the California Department of <br />Fish and Game and the Migratory Bird Permit Office shall be contacted for <br />further guidance. <br />Mitigation Measure Biology -2: Preconstruction surveys shall be conducted to <br />identify suitable bat roosting habitat including rock outcroppings, snags, rotten <br />stumps, and decaying or diseased trees with broken limbs, exfoliating bark, <br />cavities, etc. Sensitive habitat areas and roost sites shall be avoided to the <br />maximum extent practicable. If no suitable roost sites are identified, no further <br />mitigation is necessary. <br />If suitable roosting habitat is identified, the following measures shall be <br />conducted: A qualified biologist shall survey suitable roost sites immediately <br />prior to the removal or grading of rock outcroppings, debris piles, man-made <br />structures, etc. Removal of suitable tree roost sites shall be conducted by first <br />removing limbs smaller than 3 inches in diameter and peeling away loose bark. <br />The tree shall then be left overnight to allow any bats using the tree/snag to find <br />