Report of compliance for mitigation requirements for sensitive wildlife and special status plant species during seismic operations on the Nuevo Energy Company Cymric 2D seismic survey, McKittrick, Kern County, California

84 Pages·2001·28.9 MB·English

by  BioEnvironmental Associates

BLMLIBRARY
88070141
REPORTOEGOMEEJANGKFORMEEIGATION*REQUIRMMEIFESEOR:SENSErnfE
SER\®r;McKITTRE€Er KERMGOUNTY;.GAIlIEORNE^
Prepare<tforr:
NuevoEnergyGompany
1200*DiscoveryDrive,Suite500
Bakersfield,Galifomia93309
Gontact:GharlotteGampbell
661-395-5477
And
U.S.DepartmentoftheInterior
BureauofLandManagement
3801PegasusDrive
Bakersfield,Galifomia93308
Gontact:LarrySaslaw
661-391-6086
And
U.S.FishandWildlifeService
2800GottageWay,SuiteW-2605
Sacramento,Galifomia95825
Gontact:PeterGross
916-414-6625
Preparedby:
BioEnvironmentalAssociates
3212WetterhornDrive,SuiteA
FortGoUins,Golorado80525
Gontact:SteveTabor,M.S.,RexThomas,Ph.D.
970-481-8386;970-227-0771
SEPTEMBER2001
TN BLMLibrary
2.6N98.488 DBRleOdn.gv.Be5or0x,Fe2Od5Ce0-r4a57l21Center
2001 Denver,CO 80225
m
»
m *''/}ran^’
m This.r(
m speciesancLmitig^on:compliance-monitoringforavoidanceofsensitivebiologcairesoimces.-
m
seisnricsurvq^.'TEeprojectwassconductedsfemEapproximatelj^ApiiklSr—June:30^20Qfeneait.
m McKittrick;.Caiifornia:on;pubKclands:managedihyrtheU.S-.BureaiEofLand'Managementr(BEM):
m and.on’surrounding^privatclandsownecLonleasethb^rNuevo'EnergyCompany:Am
Environmental’Assessmentwas-.preparecLforthis.projeet(BUVlEANo.'CA-160-01.-054^BEMi
SI RAVSerialN.CACA42866)thatmetrequirementsoftheNationalEnvironmentaLPolicyAct
m (NEPA1969)andwasissuedbyBLM.Generaldescriptionsofseismictechniquesanddesign:
m usedduringthisprojectarepresentedanddiscussedinthisreport.
m
BioEnvironmentalAssociates’biologistsconductedsurveysforsensitivewildlifeandspecial
statusplantspeciesalongproposedcross-countryvehiculartravelroutesthroughouttheproject
siteusingagencyacceptedprotocolsforthesouthernSanJoaquinValley.Exclusionzoneswere,
establishedaroundsensitivebiologicalresourcesforavoidanceduringcross-countryvehicle
travel.Mitigationmeasuresdescribedinthiscompliancereportwereimplementedduringall
i projectactivities.BioEnvironmentalAssociatesbiologistsmonitoredforcomplianceof
mitigationmeasuresthroughouttheproject.
Seismictestingincludedenergysourcesfromhighvelocityexplosivesplacedxmdergroimdin
holesdrilledbyarticulatingdrillbuggiesand/orvibroseisusingateamoffourvibroseisbuggies.^
Allprojectrelatedactivitieswerecontainedtotravelpathsalongreceiverandsourcelinesthat
hadbeensurveyedforsensitivewildlifeandspecialstatusplantspecies.Cross-countrytravel
occurredwhereroadswerenotavailableorwhereoilfielddevelopments(i.e.,pipelines,etc.)
weretoonumerousorconstitutedsafetyissues.Recordingcables,geophones,andrelateddata
recordingequipmentweretransportedincachebagsbyhelicoptertogroundcrewsthat
P positionedequipmenttemporarilyoveraportionoftheprojectsite.Amove-up(roll-on,roll-off
spread)approachwasusedtomoverecordingequipmentasseismicdataacquisitionprogressed
alongeach2Dseismicline.
t Theseismicsurveycomprisesapproximately139.2miles(202.47acres)of2Dlinearseismic
P surveyinthefoothillsoftheTemblorMountainsnearMcKittrick,California.Approximately
P 130.02miles(189.11)acresoftheprojectareawasonprivatelandsand9.18miles(13.36acres)
\ werefederallandsadministeredbytheU.S.BureauofLandManagement(BLM).
I BioEnvironmentalAssociatesbiologistssurveyedforpotential,knownandactivekitfoxdens;
I bpoutrernotwiailngblouwnlt-bnuorsreodwsle,oHpoarodvelri’zasrdwoboulrlryo-swtsa;r,poKteentmiamlaSlalnowJoaanqduianctainvteeblaodpgeesrqudiernreslabluornrgows;
I receiverandsourcelines.Scatsandtracksofkitfoxeswerecommonlyrecordedalongreceiver
I andsourcelines.Bobcatscatsandtrackswereobservedontheseismicprospect.Arelativehigh
P
t 2
t
densityofsensitive:wildlifeandspecialstatusplantspecies-wereobserved-comparecLtO'densitiey ^0O[
oftheseresourcesjustnorthoftheprojectsite>Thefollowingisasummaryofnumbers'of;
sensitivewildlifespecies'thatwere-avoided'by'offsettmg;sourccpoints:(drilland/orvibrosefe.
points)duringtheseismicproject.Inaddition,sourcepointswererelocatedtodirtroads',.two-
tracktrails(oldiroad;corridors);.and:wellpadswhenoilfielddevelopments:(i.e.vpipelines^^a)^
wererdenserorconstitutedsafetysissuest '•
Drilling Vibroseia Total;
Potentialkitfoxdens 8 26 34
Potentialactivebadgerdens 3 30 33
Potentialblunt-nosedleopardlizardburrows 0 3 3
Potentialantelopegroundsquirrelburrows 23 99 122
Activeantelopegroundsquirrelburrows 0 34 34
Potentialgiantkangarooratburrows 3 7 10
Potentialburrowingowlburrows 1 4 5
Activeburrowingowlburrows 0 5 5
Atotalof120sourcepoints(25drilland95vibroseis)wereoffset(relocated)becauseof
sensitivewildlifespecies.Twenty-twovibroseispointswereoffsetbecauseofsteep
topography/terrain(nodrillpointswereoffsetduetoterrain).Sourcepointswereplacedalso
alongtheedgeofroadswherepossible(22drilland144vibroseis)and50sourcepointswere
placedontheedgeofwellpads(2drillsand48vibroseis).
Cross-countyvehicletraveloccurredbydrillandvibroseisbuggiesandtraversedvalleysalt-bush
scrubandnon-nativegrasslandhabitats.Anestimated39.53acresofvalleysalt-bushscruband
32.48acresofnon-nativegrasslandweretemporarilydisturbedbycross-countrytravelbydrill
andvibroseisbuggies.Wheredrillandvibroseisbuggiescrossedwashhabitatprocedureswere
implementedtocarefullyguidethebuggyacrossperpendiculartotheflowdirectionofthewash
sothatthepotentialforerosionwasreduced.Atotalof0.27acresofwashhabitatwas
temporarilydisturbedbydrillandvibroseisbuggiescrossingwashhabitat.Asummaryof
temporarydisturbancecausedbycross-countrytravelbydrillandvibroseisbuggiesispresented
below.
Drills Vibroseis Total
Valleysalt-bushscrub 5.17 34.36 39.53
Non-nativegrassland 2.77 29.71 32.48
Wash 0.11 0.16 0.27
Giventherelativelylargesizeofthis2Dseismicproject,therelativelysensitivenatureofsome
habitatintheTemblorMountainsarea,andtheavailabilityanduseofexistingoilfieldroadsand
trails,projectrelatedimpactsweretemporaryandminimal.Thiswasdueinparttothe
3
%
I
willingnessand;conimitmentoriNuevo?'iinerg3fanditne-seisnricvendor(CGGvIhc:)toabideby*’
modifiedaccx)rding:toresultsofbiologicaLfieldsurveystocomplywithrequiredavoidanceofi
nor;
speaes nsv^v-
AppendixApresents,asummaryofmaterials,presentedattheESEPconductedfortheseismic:.
crewmembersbyBfoEnvironmentalAssociatesstaffpriortosurveys,deploymentofreceiver
B' linesanddataacquisition.Resultsofpre-activitysurveysandmonitoringforcompliancein
avoidingsensitivewildlifeandspecialstatusplantspeciesduringcross-countryvehicletravelare
B pCroemspelnita^ncienNAoptpeesn)diacnedsinBA(pBpieolnodgiixcaDlP(rVei-barcotsieviistyCSoumrpvleiyanNocteesN)o,teAsp).pendixC(Drill
B
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INTROnUGTION^
Thisreportpresentsresults:ofpre-activitysurveys.forsensitivewildlife:aiiAspeciaLstatus;plant
complimceJinonitoriTig-are-presentedBelow:
NuevoEnergyCompanyconductedageophysical(seismic)surveytodevelopatwo-dimensional ^
mKaepmoCfoguenotlyo,giCcalsitfroartnaiuan(dFeirguarreeas1)atdojafcuretnhtetroiNdeunetviloyhpyotdernotciaalrbnoantuhroalldgiansgsanndeaorilMcrKeistoturrciecsk.,The 1i
seismicsurveywillbeusedtodeterminetheextentofnaturalgasoroilreservespresentand
whethersuchresourceswarrantdevelopmentofadditionalproductionwells.CGGLandSeismic,
Inc.(CGG)conductedtheprojectforNuevo.ApprovalwasrequiredfromtheU.S.Bureauof ^
LandManagement(BLM)andtheU.S.FishandWildlifeService(USFWS)toconductthe i
surveyonfederallandslocatedoffofNuevoproperty. /
TheprojectwasconductedfromapproximatelyApril25-June30,2001nearMcKittrick, ^
CaliforniaonpubliclandsmanagedbytheU.S.BureauofLandManagement(BLM)andon k
surroundingprivatelandsownedorleasedbyNuevoEnergyCompany.AnEnvironmental i
ACsAsCesAsm4e2n8t66w)asthpartempeatrerdeqfourirtehimsenptrsojoefctth(eBNLatMioEnAalNEon.viCrAo-m1n6e0n-t0al1-P0o5l4i,cByLAcMtR(NAEVPSAer1ia9l69N). ^
andwasissuedbyBLM.Generaldescriptionsofseismictechniquesanddesignusedduringthis ^
projectwerepresentedpreviouslyintheEA. |
PROJECTLOCATIONANDENVIRONMENTALSETTING *
Theseismicsurveycomprisesapproximately139.2miles(202.47acres)of2Dlinearseismic «
surveyinthefoothillsoftheTemblorMountainsnearMcKittrick,California.Approximately |
w1e30r.e0f2edmeirlaelsl(a1n8d9s.a1d1m)iancirsetseroefdthbeyptrhoejeUc.tS.arBeaurweaasuoonfpLrainvdatMealnanadgseamnednt9.(1B8LmMi)l.es(13.36acres) *«
ThisprojectoverlaidaportionofthefoothillsoftheTemblorMountains,whichconsistof A
approximately10,000acres.Theprojectsiteislocatedabout35mileswest-northwestof a
sBoauketrhsefaisetltdr,eCnadliinfgorlnoiwa-.lTyoipnogghrialplshiacbaolulty,sitxhmeiTleemsblloonrgMaonudn2tamiinlsescownisdies.tHoefaavinloyrtghrwaezsetdtroanch ^®
landsandoilfielddevelopmentssurroundtheTemblorMountains.TheTemblorMountainRange ^
bordersAntelopeHillstothewest.Theprojectwasconductedpartiallyonlandsmanagedby ^
BLMandpartiallyonprivatelyownedlands.
5
nev
"''1\\"TRanch^*.
*Water
&MSkaJXT7"'
SeismicLines
Figure1.LocarionoftheproposedNuevoEnergyMcKittrick2Dseismicprojectnear
McKittrick,KernCounty,California(March-May2001).Approximatelocationsofseismic
linesareshownasboldblacklines.
FigureNotToScale
threestages-Phasei-consistetPbfsurveyteams:onfootthatdeployedpin-flagsandwoodem
lathestemporallyalongsourceandreceiverlmesrPini-fla^andilatlieswerelabeledwithrnunrf3Krs»
thatwerereferencedtoa.projectmap;:each,lathewasrmarkedwithits,ownuniquenumbecfoir
minorcrossKX)untryvehicletravelre-routessothatprojectactivitiesiwouldadhereto-agency
approvedavoidancecriteriaforlisted^andsensitivebiologicalresources-
Phase2consistedofplacementofreceiverlinesfollowedbydatacollection(detonationofhigh
velocityexplosivesinshotholesand/orvibroseisandrecordingofsubsequentseismicdata)..A
helicopterwasusedtotransportcachebagscontainingrecordingequipmenttoandfromground
crews.Allvehiclesremainedonexistingroadsandcrewswalkedcross-country(orusedATVs)
todeploy,troubleshootandpick-upreceiverlines.Anendangeredspecieseducationprogram
(ESEP)waspresentedtoseismiccrewmembersregardingidentificationandavoidanceof
sensitivewildlifeandspecialstatusplantspecies.Trainingwasconductedaspartofmitigation
requirementsfordeploymentofreceiverlinesanddataacquisition.Asummaryofmaterialthat
waspresentedattheESEPisfoundinAppendixA.
Dnllbuggiesworkedalongsourcelinesinsteepterrainwherevibroseistechniquescouldnotbe
used.Fourbuggy-mountedvibroseisunitsproceededinsinglefilealongsomcelinesinterrain
thatwasgentlyrollingtoflat.Theleadvibratorusuallystoppedonebuggylengthpastthesource
point;allbuggiesloweredtheirpadsandvibratedforapre-determinedtime.Vibroseisbuggies
traveledonlyalongexistingroadsoralongcross-coimtryroutesthatpreviouslyhadbeen
surveyedforsensitivewildlifeandspecialstatusplantspecies.
Phases1,2and3requiredatotalofapproximately65daystocomplete.DrillingbeganonApril
25,2001andallprojectactivities(vibroseis,dataacquisition,etc.)wascompletedbyJune30,
2001.Phase3,projectequipmentpick-upandcleanup,proceededconcurrentlywithcompletion
ofPhase2activities.Alllathes,flaggingandtrashwerecollectedastheprojectprogressed.
Foradetailedpresentationof2Dand3Dseismictechnologythereaderisreferredtoa
publicationbytheRockyMountainAssociationofGeologists(1995)andfollowingreferences
formitigationmeasuresusedforseismicprojects:InternationalAssociationofGeophysical
Contractors(lAGC1991,1994,1996),U.S.BureauofLandManagement(BLM1994,1996,
1997),BLMandU.S.DepartmentofEnergy(BLM/DOE1996),andU.S.ForestService(USFS
1996).
6
Sensitive;WadHfeSped^ ,TU-
.4#
Pnbrtocondiielmsgr'pre-actiyitysurveys-weidentifiedlsensitiv&wildlif&speeiesthatpotentfall^r
occuriahabitatsiwitKih.theprojectarea*Sensitivespecieswithrpotentialtooccurattheproject-
siteoroaminfiS^enntiasis(e:g^diiring;taig5ation:^orinsectSi(Seiander1560)|,werenQfenidud]Bdf
(CNDDB)i(G:D[BS2300>I
andhabitatpreferencesirrrelationtotheprojectarea:as,well’as:records^frontsurveysconduct^'
byBioEnvironmentalAssociatesintheprojectarea(ElkHills,Taft,Mckittrick,.LostHillsand:
Coalinga)andbiologicaLassessmentsforotherprojectsinthisarea.Resultsofbiologicalsmweys
andcompliancemonitoringalongcross-countrytravelroutesarepresentedinAppendicesB
(BiologicalPre-activitySurveyNotes)andwithinAppendicesCandD(DrillandVibroseis
ComplianceNotes).AppendicesCandDcontainavoidancemeasuresforsensitivewildlifeand
specialstatusplantspeciesthatwelocatedalongreceiverandsourcelines.Apost-plotmapof
receiverandsourcelinescanbefoundinajacketpocketatthebackofthisreport.
Thefollowinglistedorsensitivespecieshadpotentialtooccurwithintheprojectareaandbe
impactedbythe2Dseismicarea:SanJoaquinkitfox{Vulpesmacrotismutica),giantkangaroo
rat{Dipodomysingens),SanJoaquinantelopesquirrel(Ammospermophilusnelsoni),blunt-nosed
leopardlizard(Gambeliasila),burrowingowl{Athenecunicularia),Americanbadger(Taxidea
taxus),Tularegrasshoppermouse{Onychomystorridustularensis),Hoover'swoollystar
{Eriastrumhooveri),andKemmallow(Eremalchekemensis).SanJoaquinwoolly-threads
{Lembertiacongdonii)areknownfromtheAntelopeHillsarea(northoftheprojectarea)from
historicalandrecent(D.Mitchell,personalcommunication)records.Thereaderisreferredto
t detaileddescriptionsofthespeciespresentedwithinthedraftrecoveryplanforuplandspeciesof
theSanJoaquinValley(Williamsetal.,1997).
¥
METHODS
9 Qualifiedbiologistssurveyedonfootforsensitivewildlifeandspecialstatusplantspecieswithin
30-50feetwidecorridorscenteredonprop>osedcross-coimtrytravelroutesusingmeandering
d transects.Wesurveyedoutsideofthe30-50feetcorridorifsensitivewildlifeandspecialstatus
d plantspecieswerepresentwithinthecorridorthatcouldnotbeavoidedbyminimumrequired
d dsiesitsamniccesc.enWteersluinrevewyietdhifnorlannadtsalm/apnuappgiendgbdyenBsLoMf.kiWtefoxuessedupUtSoG5S007-.f5tmonineittohpeorgsriadpehoifctmhaeps
d (scale1:24,000),countyroadmaps,projectpre-andpost-plotmaps,andsurveyormarkers
(geophoneandsourcepointstationnumbersonlathes)toidentifyproposedroutesandin
I mappingallresourcesfoundinthesurvey(AppendicesB,C,andD).
I
d
d
> 7
d
I
EOAu.rNsou»rvCeAy-1a6p0p-r0o1ac-h0,54m-e,trBeqLuMirRem/eWntSsearnidarlaNi.tiCgAatCioAi4r2m8ea6s6u)raensd;ofretqhue:irEeAmefnotrs;tohifst.hpgrloEj.eet(BEM.
.Califcima:[L-1-96-F^36!])'£_Wfcusedagaafty
approvedsurvey?rnethQd&ofthetCaUfoiniaNativeBlanteSociety;.(GNES*>199I),.CDF<3B(sia®^^
199Gc)^QrloS(1992)^Nelsoni(198^iTKeGalifeimasBiraowing;Owf'G6nsortiun]:(1995)1^
FederaiRenterVok51,,Nou106-^p|n-19960-19963to,-surveyforsensitive-wildlifeandrspccral!
status,plantspecies:andto,preparethiscompliancereport
AvoidancecriteriaprescribedwithintheNoticetoProceedarelistedbelow:
• 200feetfromoccupiedSanJoaquinkitfoxnataldens(500feetonBLMLands);
• 150feetfromknownSanJoaquinkitfoxnataldens;
• 100feetfromoccupiedSanJoaquinkitfoxdens;
• 150feetfromknownSanJoaquinkitfoxdens;
• 50feetfrompotentialSanJoaquinkitfoxdens(100feetonBLMLands);
• 50feetfromatypicalSanJoaquinkitfoxdens;
• 50feetfromgiantkangarooratburrowsystems;
• 50feetfromHoover’swoolly-starandKemmallow;
• 30feetfromSanJoaquinantelopesquirrelburrows;
• 30feetfromoccupiedblunt-nosedleopardlizardburrows;
• 30feetfrombadgerdens;
• 50feetfromburrowingowlburrows;
SPECIES-SPECIFICWILDLIFEMETHODS:
SanJoaquinKitFox
WeconducteddaytimesurveysforSanJoaquinkitfoxdensandsign(tracks,scat,etc.)alongall
oftheproposedtravelroutes.WeconductedoursurveysfollowingtheGDFGApprovedSurvey
MethodologiesforSensitiveSpecies(GDFG1990c).Wealsoconsideredaspectsofkitfox
denmngthatareobservedinthenorthernportionoftheirrangeduringoursurveysforthis
species(Orloffetal.1986).WerecordedlocationsofallSanJoaquinkitfoxsignanddens.We
classifiedundergroundburrowsaccordingtothefollowingUSFWSkitfoxdendefinitions
(USFWS1989and1995):
g
$ Known-Den::Anyexistingnaturaldenorman-madestructureforwhich
conclusiveevidenceorstrong^circumstantialevidencecanbeshownthattheden
p is:iised;OEhasbeenusedatanytimein:thepastbySan.Joaquinkitfoxes.
PbtentialiirenzAnynaturalden.orburrowswithinthespedeslran^thatha&
entrancesofappropriatedimensions(5to8inches:imdiameter)to.accommodate
n SanJoaquittkitfoxesforwhidt-however,thereislittleornoevidenceofkitfox
use:
p
p Puppin^DenrAnyknownSanJoaquinkitfoxden(asdefined)usedbykitfoxes
p towhelpand/orreartheirpups.Thisisoftenreferredtoasanatalden.
i AtypicalDen: AnyknownSanJoaquinkitfoxdenthathasbeenestablishedin,
p orinassociationwith,aman-madestructure(i.e.,pipes,etc.).
#
Biologistssurveyedforevidenceofkitfoxesontheprojectsiteincludingscat,tracksandprey
rfoexmeasi.nsS.caStcsatlsarmgeearstuhrainn2g01m5-m20dmiammetinerdiwaemreetearssoufmaepdprtooprbiealtoencgatnoidcosyhoatpeesw(eCraeniasttlraitbruatnesd)toorkit
domesticdogs{Canisspp.)Canidtracksupto45-48mminsizewereattributedtokitfoxes.
w Trackslargerthanthisprobablywerethoseofcoyotesordomesticdogs(Murie1974).
I Blunt-nosedLeopardLizardSurveys
I
i Wesurveyedforthepresenceofblunt-nosedleopardlizards(andtheirburrows)andtoevaluate
% thesuitabilityofthehabitattosupportthisspeciesbywalkingparalleltransectsalongtheseismic
p lsiignhetsiunsgisngofmoldiizfaircdastdiuornisnogfoTuorlldeasyttriumpe(t1r9a7n6s)ecatnsdumrvoedyisfifeodrboythCerDsFpeGci1es9.90W.eWeidernetcifoireddedallail
lizardswiththeaidofbinoculars.Burrowswereflaggedforavoidancebyvehiclestraveling
cross-country.Wesurveyedforsignsofblunt-nosedleopardlizards(burrows,tracks,scats,etc.)
P aasntweellolpeassqjuuivrerneillse(aCnDdFaGdul1t99l0i)za.rdswhileconductingsurveysforotherspecies,e.g.,SanJoaquin
p
% SanJoaquinAntelopeSquirrelSurveys
I WesurveyedforSanJoaquinantelopesquirrelsbywalkingparalleltransectsinacorridor
p extending30-50feetoneachsideofproposedcross-countrytravelroutecenterlines.We
i surveyedforevidenceofthisspecies(sightings,burrows,tracks,scats,etc.)whileconducting
I surveysforotherspecies,i.e.,SanJoaquinkitfoxes(CDFG1990c).
>
p
%
p 9
%
p
\