Sensitive Species

Overview

Sensitive Species Overview

LANL's environmental goals include enhancing the stewardship for sensitive species at the Laboratory. Federally protected species are already managed at LANL with the Biological Resources Management Plan and the subtier Habitat Management Plan and Migratory Bird Best Management Practices Document. There is a gap, however, in management for species not protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MTBA). The Sensitive Species Best Management Practices Source Document will address species protected on state or local levels.

The species considered in this plan are identified by federal or state agencies or non-government organizations under one or more of six different categories. These six categories were selected for consideration by LANL biologists due to their applicability to species in this area and requirements for evaluation of project impacts on some of these categories of species under the National Environmental Policy Act.  The categories are:

• Federal Candidate - US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Federal Species of Concern - US Fish and Wildlife Service
• New Mexico Endangered - NM Department of Game and Fish
• New Mexico Threatened - NM Department of Game and Fish
• New Mexico Sensitive (informal) - NM Department of Game and Fish
• Critically Imperiled in New Mexico - Natural Heritage New Mexico

Management Document

Sensitive Species Best Management Practices Source Document

The Sensitive Species Best Management Practices Source Document has been prepared by the LANL Environmental Protection Division, Ecology and Air Quality Group (ENV-EAQ), to minimize impacts of LANL operations to sensitive species not protected by the Endangered Species Act of Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

The best management practices in this document provide mitigation measures for projects to reduce risks to sensitive species. By avoiding or minimizing the impact of LANL activities on these sensitive species, LANL can provide reduce the possibility of enforcement action and potentially lower the possibility of these species being upgraded to federal protection.

Work Controls/Best Practices

Work Controls and Best Management Practices

All the sensitive species at LANL are listed below with their probability of occurrence. The species that have a high probability of occurrence at LANL have best management practices associated with them to assist project managers in avoiding impacts.

• Jemez Mountains Salamander
• Avoid removing trees on north-facing slopes along the LANL western boundary
• If thinning activities do take place, ensure that the canopy cover is not reduced below 80%
• This habitat should be protected where possible from disturbance activities including the following:
• new structures
• new roads
• improving roads
• use of heavy equipment (compacting soil)
• any activity that would desiccate or fragment the habitat including prescribed burning or removal of vegetation
• American Peregrine Falcon
• Avoid disturbing cliff structure in the canyons without having ENV-EAQ subject matter experts survey the cliffs for peregrine nests
• Bald Eagle
• In the bald eagle core habitat area along LANL's eastern boundary with the Rio Grande, new power lines should comply with the suggested practices adopted by the electrical industry (APLIC 2006)
• Priority should be given to poles likely to be used by raptors or other birds that have a high electrocution risk
• (A) A minimum of 60-in. [1.5-m] (48-in. [1.2-m] vertical and 60-in. [1.5-m] diagonal) spacing between electrically conductive points on the power line through spacing in new construction or shielding (e.g., phase to phase or phase to ground)
• (B) The use of covered/insulated coverings over bare conductors at structures
• Retrofit old power poles that are identified as problems
• Suggested Practices states that “95 percent of all eagle electrocutions could be eliminated by correcting 2 percent of all the poles”
• Fabricated products are available to retrofit poles to make them unattractive for perching or to provide insulation to prevent phase to phase and phase to ground contact by birds
• The Bird Electrocution Mitigation Website (2/26/08) has online programs to assist in finding products to retrofit specific types of power poles
• Do not remove large ponderosa pines in the drainages along the Rio Grande as they are used as roosting trees by wintering bald eagles
• Other Avian Species
• If habitat alterations are going to take place that are <½ acre between June 1 and July 31, have an ENV-EAQ subject matter expert survey the area for bird nests before beginning the project
• If habitat alterations are going to take place that are >½ acre, schedule activities that remove shrubs or trees so that they do not occur between June 1 and July 31
• Avoid removing standing dead trees
• Contact ENV-EAQ subject matter experts for a consultation before removing hazard trees in undeveloped areas
• Bat Species
• Avoid disturbing ponded areas or intact wetlands
• Avoid disturbing cliff structure in canyons
• Avoid removing standing dead trees
• Ringtail
• Avoid disturbing riparian habitat in or near White Rock Canyon
• Wood Lily
• Surveys should take place before any ground-disturbing work occurs during the summer months in canyon bottoms that contain perennial water along LANL's western boundary