Draft Environmental Impact Report - East Bay Municipal Utility District

Estates Reservoir Replacement Draft Environmental Impact ReportBiological ResourcesEBMUD will retain a qualified wildlife biologist to conduct preconstructionsurveys of all potential nesting habitat within 500 feet of constructionactivities where access is available.If active nests are found during preconstruction surveys, EBMUD will create ano-disturbance buffer (acceptable in size to the CDFG) around active raptornests and nests of other special-status birds during the breeding season, or untilit is determined that all young have fledged. The size of these buffer zones andtypes of construction activities restricted in these areas will be based on existingnoise and human disturbance levels at the Estates Reservoir Project site. Nestsinitiated during construction are presumed to be unaffected by the activitiesoccurring , and no buffer would be necessary.If preconstruction surveys indicate that nests are inactive or potential habitat isunoccupied during the construction period, no further mitigation is required.Trees and shrubs within the construction footprint that have been determinedto be unoccupied by special-status birds or that are located outside the nodisturbancebuffer for active nests may be removed.Significance after Mitigation: Less than Significant.Impact 3.4-3: Loss or damage to special–status plants and sensitive naturalcommunitiesThe Estates Reservoir site is within a large-scale, well established residentialneighborhood and has been maintained as a manicured landscape for several decades.Ornamental vegetation on the site and in the surrounding neighborhood has decreased (ifnot eliminated) the value of on-site vegetation for native wildlife habitat. The EstatesReservoir Project will therefore not have a significant adverse impact on biologicalresources, or to special status/sensitive plants and communities. Because of the extensivegrass, shrub and tree planting proposed as part of the Project, the Project will, in fact,increase the potential for habitat for native species with the planting of native coast liveoak, California Sycamore and California buckeye. This impact is considered beneficialand no further discussion is offered nor are mitigation measures required.Mitigation Measure: None Required.Impact 3.4-4: Loss of or impact to wetlands.The Estates Reservoir site has no jurisdictional wetlands as defined by Section 401and 404 of the Clean Water Act, and Sections 1600-1616 of the California Fish andGame Code. No construction activities for the Estates Reservoir ReplacementProject would occur at or near (within 100 feet) of streams, wetlands, or riparianhabitat. Therefore, there would be no impacts from Project construction on featuressb09_001.doc 3-4.10 7/22/2009