Public Scoping Meeting for the Bakersfield Habitat Conservation Plan - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Public Scoping Meeting for the Bakersfield Habitat Conservation Plan Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Impact Report January 24, 2017

Purpose of the Meeting  Scoping for the Bakersfield Habitat Conservation Plan Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Impact Report (HCP EIS/EIR)  Inform public and stakeholders about the preparation of the Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR  Provide information on the EIS/EIR process and how to provide public comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR  Provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 2 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

Environmental Review Process & Proposed Action Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Troy Rahmig HCP Project Manager ICF Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) Hova Woods EIS/EIR Project Manager ICF Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 3 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

Habitat Conservation Plan Overview  HCP is a comprehensive regional plan  Serves as an HCP pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA)  Streamlines and coordinates existing processes for review and permitting of public and private activities that potentially affect covered species  Provides long-term conservation of covered species in the plan area  Sets out a conservation strategy with measures to avoid, minimize and/or mitigate impacts to covered species and habitats  Facilitates the role and responsibility of local government in overseeing local land use planning and decision-making Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 4 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

Habitat Conservation Plan History and Purpose  1994 Metropolitan Bakersfield HCP established the first multi-species HCP in California  Permits expired in 2014 but were extended or granted an interim permit until 2019  Bakersfield HCP replaces original HCP to reflect current jurisdiction requirements  Builds on original goals in the earlier HCP and provides an opportunity to expand the benefits to new participants, adjust and clarify the species and activities, and incorporate improvements based on lessons learned  Permit applicants currently preparing complete draft of HCP for agency review and finalization  30-year incidental take permit –Regulated under the ESA –Triggers environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 5 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

Relationship Between ESA and NEPA  Section 9 of the ESA prohibits “take” of federally-listed fish and wildlife.  Take means to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or attempt to engage in any such conduct” (16 U.S.C. 1532(19)).  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) may issue permits to authorize “incidental take” under Section 10(a) of the ESA.  Incidental take is defined as take that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity.  The Service may issue an incidental take permit provided certain criteria are met.  Issuance of take permits under the HCP is a federal action subject to NEPA review  NEPA requires federal agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for major federal actions. Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 1/26/2017 6 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

Environmental Review Process & Proposed Action Overview  HCP will also obtain Section 2081 Incidental Take Permit from California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)  Regulated under California ESA  Triggers environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)  Joint EIS/EIR is being prepared to comply with the NEPA and CEQA  Agency Roles  USFWS – EIS lead federal agency in compliance with NEPA  City of Bakersfield – EIR lead state agency in compliance with CEQA  CDFW is a Responsible and Trustee Agency for CEQA Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 7 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

HCP Phase 1 – Permit Area Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 8 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

HCP Phase 1 – Study Area Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 9 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

HCP Proposed Covered Activities by:  City of Bakersfield Planning  City of Bakersfield Water Resources  City of Bakersfield Public Works (including TRIP)  City of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks  Kern County Planning  Kern County Roads  Kern County Airports  Kern County Animal Control  CSU-Bakersfield  Bakersfield College  Kern County Schools Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 10 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

HCP Proposed Covered Activities  Urban Development  Includes capital projects and O&M activities at schools, colleges, universities  Transportation and Circulation Infrastructure  Flood Control  Sewer and Water Treatment Facilities  Landfills  Airports  Conservation Strategy Implementation Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 11 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

HCP Covered Species List  Blunt-nosed leopard lizard  Recurved larkspur  Burrowing owl  Shevock’s golden-aster  Least Bell’s vireo  San Joaquin wooly threads  Buena Vista lake shrew  Bakersfield cactus  Nelson’s antelope squirrel  Tipton kangaroo rat  San Joaquin kit fox  Alkali mariposa lily  Rose-flowered larkspur Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 12 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

HCP Impact Analysis Areas of Expected Future Development in Bakersfield During the Permit Term Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 13 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

HCP Study Area Land Cover Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 14 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

Potential HCP Conservation Strategy – Avoidance / Minimization  Avoidance, Minimize, then Mitigate  Create Avoidance Strategy for Urban Kit Fox  Standardized approach for assessing and avoiding dens  Protocol for contacts regarding kit fox issues  Will include a new position, paid for by the HCP, to respond to local kit fox calls  Create additional avoidance measures for other covered species  General avoidance includes developing in town and taking conservation actions out of town  Other Avoidance and Minimization Measures (AMMs) as proposed conditions on Covered Activities (HCP Chapter 6) Bakersfield HCP EIS/EIR Public Scoping Meeting 15 ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.