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Экология ВИЭ / СЭС / Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Solar Energy Development.pdf
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1 4.10 ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES

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4 4.10.1 Vegetation

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6 Because of the great variety and complexity of the plant communities occurring within 7 the six states, the area is best represented by description at the ecoregion level. The 22 Level III 8 ecoregions covering the six-state area include a wide variety of upland plant community types, 9 such as coniferous forest, coniferous and deciduous woodland, shrub communities, shrub steppe,

10and grassland. Numerous basins occur in the study area and often support shrublands, such as

11Great Basin sagebrush, saltbush-greasewood, creosotebush, or palo verde-cactus shrublands.

12Basins in the region are typically arid and include the Chihuahuan, Mojave, and Sonoran

13Deserts. Habitats on plateaus may include woodland, shrubland, or grassland. Shrublands and

14pinyon-juniper woodlands are common in the Colorado Plateaus ecoregion. The basins and

15plateaus of the study area include the predominance of those areas where solar energy

16development is most likely to occur.

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18Wetlands occurring within these ecoregions are extremely varied. While surface flows

19provide the water source for some wetlands, other wetlands are supported by groundwater

20discharge. Wetlands are often associated with perennial water sources, such as springs, perennial

21segments of streams, or lakes and ponds. However, some wetlands have seasonal or intermittent

22sources of water. Riparian vegetation communities occur along rivers, perennial and intermittent

23streams, lakes, and reservoirs, and at springs. These communities generally form a vegetation

24zone along the margin that is distinct from the adjacent upland area. Riparian communities are

25dependent on streamflows or reservoir levels and are strongly influenced by the hydrologic

26regime.

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28Information provided in the Draft Solar PEIS remains valid; there are no updates for this

29section.

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32 4.10.2 Wildlife

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34Section 4.10.2 of the Draft Solar PEIS discussed the wildlife management objectives of

35the BLM and other agencies in the six-state study area. The section also described the wildlife

36species (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) that may occur on BLM lands where solar

37energy development could occur (special status wildlife species were discussed in Section 4.10.4

38of the Draft Solar PEIS). The section included information on the number of wildlife species

39reported for each of the states and on the species hunted or trapped within the six-state study

40area. The regulatory framework to protect migratory birds, bald and golden eagles, and greater

41sage-grouse was also described. General life history information and state conservation status

42ranks were provided for the big game species. The information provided in Section 4.10.2 of the

43Draft Solar PEIS remains valid.

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45

Final Solar PEIS

4-15

July 2012