Transcript Project Overview for Advisory Committee Meeting

Yuba-Sutter NCCP/HCP
Advisory Committee Meeting
February 9, 2012
10 – 12 p.m.
Agenda
1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS (10 min.)
2. PRESENTATIONS (45 min.)
Review of November Meeting:
What is the Yuba-Sutter NCCP/HCP?
Role of the Advisory Committee
Where we are in the NCCP/HCP process?
Participants/Plan Area/Covered Species/Covered Activities
Overview of NCCP/HCP Document
Overview of Advisory Committee Schedule
3. DISCUSSION ITEMS (50 min.)
Chapters 1-3
Other Items:
Overview of Projected Impacts
Overview of Conservation Strategies
4. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS (15 min.)
5. NEXT MEETING
What is the Yuba-Sutter NCCP/HCP?
• Federal and state endangered species permit used to
accommodate growth and ensure the protection and
mitigation of covered species that are federally and state
listed.
• Way to streamline the endangered species permitting
process for future development.
Vocabulary
• ESA = federal Endangered Species Act
• HCP = Habitat Conservation Plan; defined in federal ESA
and agency regulations
• CESA = California Endangered Species Act (part of CA
Fish & Game Code)
• NCCP = Natural Community Conservation Plan; defined
in the CA Fish & Code and state regulations; ties into
CESA
• Take Permit/Authorization = ESA and/or CESA
authorization to adversely affect a listed species
Regulatory Requirements
• Comply with the ESA and CESA by preparing an
NCCP/HCP that fulfills the requirements of an HCP under
Section 10 of the ESA and an NCCP under DFG Code
• ESA purpose: conserve ecosystems and species that depend
on them
• Relevant sections:
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Section 4: listing process (threatened and endangered species, critical habitat)
Section 7: federal agency consultation process
Section 9: prohibited acts (“take”)
Section 10: take permits
Elements of an HCP
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Goals and objectives
Geographic coverage
Covered species
Biological goals and objectives
Covered activities
Permit duration
Impacts on species
Conservation measures
Expected outcomes with
measures
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Monitoring
Adaptive management
Assurances requested
Amendment process
Changed circumstances and
remedial measures
• Unforeseen circumstances
• Alternatives to take
Elements of an NCCP
• Meet or help meet recovery
• Protect habitat on a landscape
level
• Preserve ecological integrity
• Support sustainable populations
• Sustain movement
• Minimize and fully mitigate
• No jeopardy
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Adequate funding
Independent science advisors
Public participation
Consistency with Planning
Agreement
NCCP/HCP Similarities
• Similar planning process, with emphasis on scientific input
and public participation
• Similar required components, including impact
avoidance/minimization, monitoring, and adaptive
management
• Similar approval criteria for take authorization
NCCP/HCP Differences
• Generally, more “shalls” in NCCP Guidelines than in HCP
Guidelines
• Planning agreement required for NCCP; often used but not
a requirement for HCPs
• Interim project review process required while NCCP is
being prepared; review consistent with federal policy but
not required for HCPs
• NCCPs typically must be regional in scale; HCPs can
cover large or small areas
Role of the Advisory Committee
• Provide guidance and advise on what you perceive as
“workable” and “not workable” with the NCCP/HCP
• Provide recommendations on how to make the NCCP/HCP
as effective as possible
Where are we in the NCCP/HCP process?
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Completed land cover mapping
Selected covered species
Selected covered activities
Prepared draft impact analysis
Preparing draft conservation strategy
Preparing conditions and requirements
Preparing cost analysis
Preparing for NEPA/CEQA process
Approximately 2 years to complete process
Participants
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Sutter County
Yuba County
Yuba City
Live Oak
Wheatland
Caltrans is a possible future participant
Levee and reclamation districts opted out – Section 7 nexus
Marysville has no plans for growth or funds to participate
Plan Area
Plan Area Land Cover
73% Agricultural
15% Natural Lands
5% Developed
2 % Aquatic
Land Cover Type
Agricultural
Alfalfa
Irrigated Pasture
Orchards
Other Woody Vegetation
Rice
Row Crops
Vineyards (includes kiwi and other vine crops)
Aquatic
Lacustrine
Riverine
Wildland
Annual Grassland
Blue Oak Savanna Woodland
Fresh Emergent Wetland
Riparian Forest (25-100% shrub and tree >25% mature tree)
Riparian Scrub (25-100% shrub and tree < 25% mature tree)
Valley oak Savanna Woodland (> 10% tree cover)
Vernal Pool Complex
Developed
Barren and Disturbed Lands
Rural Residential (<= 1 unit per acre)
Urban Parks_Golf Course (presense of landscaping)
Urban Riparian_Forest (at least 1/2 perimeter bounded by development
Urban_Suburban (>1 unit per acre)
Urban Wetland (at least 1/2 perimeter bounded by development)
Grand Total
Covered Activities
• All actions that could result in take for which the permit will be
applicable
• Limit covered activities to those under control of the Permittees
• General description of actions within the Plan Area
• Specific projects
• Ongoing operation and maintenance
• Restoration, habitat enhancement, and monitoring
• Excluded activities
Covered Activities
• Location: Occur within the plan area.
• Timing: Activity is scheduled to occur within the permit
term.
• Impact: The activity has a reasonable potential for take.
• Participant: Discretionary authority over covered
activities.
• Definition: Location, size, and other relevant aspects can
be defined.
• Practicability: Consideration of schedule and cost.
• Covered Activities handout Table 1
Habitat and Species Relationships
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Importance of agricultural crops
Importance of grasslands
Importance of wetlands and riparian corridors
Importance of vernal pool complexes
Other habitat elements
Covered Species
• Purpose: Identify species for which the Plan participants
will need take coverage
• Range: Species in the geographic range
• Status: Listed species; non-listed species with the potential
for listing; and other important species
• Impact: Species affected by the project (take?)
• Data: Are data sufficient to evaluate impacts and develop
conservation measures?
• Plus: Natural communities – which are essential to protect
wildlife resources and allow for appropriate growth
• Covered Species and Communities handout Table 2
Covered Species
• 18 Species
– 14 Wildlife Species
– 4 Plant Species
Overview of NCCP/HCP Document
Overview of NCCP/HCP Document
• Chapter 1. Introduction
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Overview
Scope
Regulatory Setting
Groups Involved
Organization
• Chapter 2. Land Use and Covered Activities
– Land Use
– Covered Activities and Projects
– Project and Activities Not Covered
• Chapter 3. Physical and Biological Resources
– Data Collection
– Setting (Physical Characteristics, Veg. Communities, Covered Species)
Overview of NCCP/HCP Document
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Chapter 4. Impact Assessment and Levels of Take
Chapter 5. Conservation Strategy
Chapter 6. Conditions on Covered Activities
Chapter 7. Monitoring and Adaptive Management Program
Chapter 8. Plan Implementation
Chapter 9. Funding
Chapter 10. Assurances
Chapter 11. Alternatives to Take
Overview of Schedule
Discussion on Chapters 1-3
• Questions?
• Missing information?
• Other suggestions?
Discussion on Other Topics: Overview
of Projected Impacts
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Sutter County General Plan Update
Yuba County General Plan Update
City of Yuba City
City of Live Oak
Wheatland
Estimates of Permanent Impacts
• Total – 33,128 acres
• Agricultural Land-cover Types – 23,880 acres
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Alfalfa – 5.7%
Irrigated Pasture – 16.4%
Orchard – 12%
Rice – 2.6%
Row crops – 6.5%
• Non-Agricultural Land-cover Types – 9,248 acres
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Annual grassland – 24.6%
Riparian – 1-7.4%
Valley oak savanna woodland – 10.8%
Vernal pool complex – 11.3%
Percentage Estimates by Jurisdiction by
Sensitive Land-cover Types
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Sutter County
Yuba County
City of Yuba City
City of Live Oak
Wheatland
Transportation projects
Impact Discussion
• Are there areas identified for growth that are of particular
concern?
• Thoughts about timeframe for growth?
• Thoughts about variation in growth slated for participants?
• Other comments or thoughts?
Overview of Conservation Strategy
• Principles of Conservation Biology
– Reserve design: size, shape, composition, buffers, spatial relationships,
management, appropriate uses (e.g., recreation)
– Connectivity (corridors, barriers, species specific, movement, gene flow)
• Specific ecological requirements of species
– Specific habitat and microhabitat requirements (breeding, feeding,
spawning, nesting)
– Movement capabilities and requirements (migration)
– Minimum viable population size (demography)
– Population structure, genetic variation, and gene flow
Conservation Strategy Process
Conservation
Strategy
Identify Existing
Preserves
Cornerstone
Preserves
Determine Target
Species and Habitats
Collect Biological
Data
Acquisitions, Easements,
Incentives, Monitoring,
Management
Biological
Landscape
Priority
Conservation
Areas
Extrapolate Across
Plan Area with
Models
And GAPs in Habitat
Protection
Covered
Activities
Where are we in the conservation
strategy development?
Mostly Complete
Cornerstone
Preserves
Determine Target
Species and Habitats
Collect Biological
Data
Conservation
Strategy
Identify Existing
Preserves
Acquisitions, Easements,
Incentives, Monitoring,
Management
Biological
Landscape
Priority
Conservation
Areas
Extrapolate Across
Plan Area with
Models
And GAPs in Habitat
Protection
Current
Phase
Covered
Activities
Initial Results of GAP Analysis
Habitat Types
Type 1
Riparian Scrub
Moderately 25%
Riparian Forest
25%
Well
Fresh Emergent Wetland Protected 17%
Riverine
12%
Poorly
Annual Grassland
7%
Protected
Lacustrine
4%
Barren and Disturbed Lands
3%
Vernal Pool Complex
0%
Blue Oak Savanna Woodland
0%
Valley oak Savanna Woodland
0%
Type 2
12%
10%
46%
1%
1%
5%
7%
1%
3%
0%
Type 3
3%
3%
0%
1%
1%
0%
0%
0%
0%
2%
Type 4
61%
62%
36%
86%
90%
91%
89%
99%
97%
98%
Initial Results of GAP Analysis (cont.)
• Results have also been analyzed by each CPU
• Have also been conducted for modeled species
• Gap analysis being used to develop and prioritize goals
and objectives
• Conservation strategy will include criteria for each CPU to
acquire, enhance, and/or restore habitat to meet
conservation goals
Conservation Strategy Approach
• Primarily easements from willing landowners
• Focus on key species that meet multiple objectives:
– Swainson’s hawk
– Giant garter snake
– Grasslands/vernal pool complexes
• Focus on key communities:
– Riparian corridors
– Agriculture
• Rice and its associated water supply
• Row crops supporting foraging and nesting
– Grasslands
Conservation Strategy Discussion
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Framework of easements seem workable?
Thoughts about Conservation Planning Units?
Thoughts about where conservation should occur?
Other comments and thoughts?
Public Communications
• Comments from the public?
Next Meeting
• Recommended agenda items:
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Comments on first several chapters – covered activities/species
Additional impact discussion
Additional conservation strategy discussion
Next steps