Final Mitigated Negative Declaration and Response to Comments

IV.
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
The proposed project activities are located within Emerald Bay State Park (SP) which is
managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) under a lease from
California State Lands Commission. Upland vegetation is typical of the eastern Sierra
consisting of mixed conifer stands of fir and pine species. There are meadows in the park
which contain a diverse array of grass species, forbs, and wildlife. Riparian hardwood stands
are comprised of alder, willow, and aspen. The park is home to many mammal and bird
species with fewer reptiles and amphibians, all typical species of high elevations in the Sierra
Nevada mountain range.
Emerald Bay SP is located around Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark since 1968. The
park is accessible by State Route 89 near the southwest shore of the lake. The park is home
to Eagle Falls and Vikingsholm Castle, a 38-room mansion that is one of the best examples of
Scandinavian architecture in the United States. The park contains the only island in Lake
Tahoe- Fannette Island. In 1994, DPR included the surrounding water of the bay as a part of
the park, making Emerald Bay one of the first underwater parks of its type in the state. The
underwater park is managed under a lease from the California State Lands Commission.
Special-Status Species
Sensitive biological resources that occur or potentially could occur in or near the proposed
project site are discussed in this section. Special-status species (sensitive species) are
defined as plants and animals that are legally protected or that are considered sensitive by
federal, state, or local resource conservation agencies and organizations. Specifically, this
includes species listed as state or federally Threatened or Endangered, those considered as
candidates for listing as Threatened or Endangered, species identified by the US Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) and/or California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) as Species
of Special Concern, animals identified by DFG as Fully Protected or Protected, special status
species of particular concern to the United States Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin
Management Unit (USFS LTBMU), Threshold Species as identified by the Tahoe Regional
Planning Agency (TRPA), and other protected or sensitive animals. Plants considered by the
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) and USFS LTBMU to be rare, threatened, or
endangered are also included in this discussion. Habitats that are considered critical for the
survival of a listed species or have special value for wildlife species and plant communities that
are unique or of limited distribution are also included in this section.
All special-status species and their habitats were evaluated for potential impacts from the
proposed Asian Clam Control project. Existing available data were collected and reviewed to
determine the proximity of special-status plants, animals, and their habitats to the project site.
Queries of the DFG California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) (DFG 2008), the California
Native Plant Society’s On-line Inventory (CNPS 2009), and the US Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS 2008) were conducted for special-status species and habitats within the United
States Geological Survey 7.5 minute quadrangle maps surrounding Emerald Bay SP.
Asian Clam Control Project IS/MND
Emerald Bay State Park
California Department of Parks and Recreation
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