The Hanford site encompasses 586 square miles of shrub steppe habitat that has been protected from human disturbances since the early 1940’s as part of the Manhattan project. Most of the Hanford site was a buffer for the production activities and incidentally preserved the biological diversity of the arid landscape that supports and abundance of native plant and wildlife communities. MSA’s Ecological Monitoring team monitors the biota including State and Federally listed species to assess the abundance, vigor or condition, and distribution on the Hanford Site. The associated data is used by U.S. Department of Energy and Hanford Site contractors to support environmental cleanup and restoration activities, mitigation actions, and land use planning, and to maintain compliance with ecological resource laws.
MSA’s Ecological Compliance staff conducts ecological compliance reviews for most projects on the Hanford site to determine if the proposed scope of work will adversely impact biological resources, and to provide recommendations to reduce environmental impacts. These reviews are conducted in support of the National Environmental Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and other laws and regulations.
- Biological Resources Management Plan (PDF)
- Biological Resources Mitigation Strategy (PDF)
- Salmon and Steelhead Management Plan (PDF)
- Eagle Restriction Figure (PDF)
- Bald Eagle Management Plan (PDF)
- Hanford Site National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Characterization (PDF)
- Fall Chinook Redd Monitoring Report Calendar Year 2011 (PDF)
- Rare Plant Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2011 (PDF)
- Snake Hibernacula Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2012 (PDF)
- Bald Eagle Monitoring Report for Fiscal Year 2012 (PDF)
- Ground Squirrel Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2012 (PDF)
