Rising Tree Wind Farm Amendment No. 3 (a Major Amendment) to California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2014-023-04 (ITP), Amendment No.

Rising Tree Wind Farm Amendment No. 3 (a Major Amendment) to California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2014-023-04 (ITP), Amendment No.

The proposed project involves the development of a wind energy production facility on an approx. 1,600-acre site. Project activities would occur on a smaller area within the 1,600-acer site and would include clearing, grubbing, and grading for roads, a laydown area, wind turbine pads, a substation, meteorological towers, and underground and overhead transmission and collection lines. The project is expected to result in impacts to 163 acres of desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and Mohave ground squirrel (Spermophilus mohavensis) habitat, and 7.64 acres of Bakersfield cactus (Opuntia basilaris var. treleasei) habitat including temporary impacts to 91 acres; the Project will permanently remove 72 acres of desert tortoise and Mohave ground squirrel habitat, and 7.54 acres of Bakersfield cactus habitat. The Project is also expected to result in incidental take of desert tortoise and Mohave ground squirrel, which are designated as threatened species, and Bakersfield cactus, which is designated as an endangered species, under the CESA. The ITP referenced above as issued by CDFW authorizes incidental take of species listed under CESA that may occur as a result of Project implementation. CDFW is issuing Amendment No. 3 to the ITP which increases the temporary impacts to Bakersfield cactus habitat by 2.58 acres, increases the compensatory mitigation obligation by an additional 26 acres for desert tortoise and Mohave ground squirrel, increases the contribution to the Raven Management Plan, replaces figures to depict the as-built Project Area and Covered Species habitat impacts, and commensurately increases the cost estimates of acquisition, protection, and management of the HM lands and performance security accordingly. The Amendment also extends the timeline to complete compensatory mitigation obligations by 12 months.

Mojave

Kern