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Home My WebLink AboutCorrespondence Received on September 16, 2008 from Fish and Wildlife Service • 09/16/2006 1:0:53 FAX 7604315902 US FISH AND WILDLIFE lit001/003 --1--- , U.B. nenavra.nura A-4",•.-N... -**"...e.„,4. swam= United States Department of the Interior prk.„1„4,• ...„ ..,, , i •-zt---, g*-;-,,,p,..; FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 2,f Ecological Services -4-7--rgr----4 4 A ^ . Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office 6010 Hidden Valley Road --a Carlsbad,Califorpia 92011 't -- , , • --..-"P FACSIMILE TRANSMITTAL FORM _.... -II .. ,.. , r) qtte Sent: No. of Pages: Time Sent: (Pacific The) .. .. c.....5 I I 5 0 TO: Fax No.: 7 6 0 - 2 qo - 0 s ri 6( > , D 1 /„ , 1 „..s.4 4,10(/ ' f4".... --0 . , Fax No.: (760)431-5902 Phone No.: (760)431-9440 l•.) \I W 0 0) r)c 2_ ; SUBJECT: ) '' LtDoe- C, lc) eommENTs: .. . A : , - - If you have any problem receiving this fax,please call(760)431-9440,extension 283. Thank you. • LI California Gnatcatcher J • , 1" " 1"V. •sr.r,,N...\ ....---- , N 2X N ,3 _ •...,.. k i 0•e 1, . 'the`Missron of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve,protect,and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. , TAKE PRIDEeti .. Its/AMERICA i RetelVecl,, Sep-16-08 11:49am From-7604315902 To-CITY OF PALM DESERT Page 01 09/16/2008 10:53 FAX 7604315902 US FISH AND WILDLIFE C j002/003 o H. '�� United States Department of the Interior XI • FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE �►, �9. Ecological Services s •Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office 6010 Hidden Valley Road,Suite 101 Carlsbad,California 92011 In.Reply Refer To: FWS-RIV-06B0008-08TA0538 SEP 16 2008 Mr. Phil Joy, Asspciate Planner City of Palm Desert Community Development Department 73-150 Fed Waring Drive Palm Desert,CA 92260-2578 Subject: Final Environmental Impact Report for the Cornishe of Bighorn Project(State Clearinghouse Number 2004091012) 'bear;Mr. Joy: We recently received the Final Environmental Impact Report(EIR) for the Cornishe of Bighorn ,PTojFct.in September, and have been reviewing the project's design,responses to comments, ,,rciiitigation measures, and'=proposed changes to the New Preferred Alternative. In our previous comments, we requested additional detailed investigations be completed c ncerning the screening of proposed residences and their associated activities from view of 1$7,ighgm sheep in the Big torn Institute's adjacent captive-breeding facility. Further investigations d'vere completed, and they,are presented in the Comments and Responses section of the Final We appreciate the project proponent's effort to address our concerns. From the investigations, it appears that effective visual barriers are practical, and they should become a required element in the project's design. Tie greatest and hardest to mitigate visual impacts appear associated with the access driveway from Indian Cove,which would end on the southern side of the development,the side adjacent to he captive-breeding facility. Re-routing the access road to the northern side of the development Would move a large proportion of associated activities away from the bighorn sheep in the pistitute's facility. Similarly, the'document states, "As no design information is available, it agnpt,be said that the twa residences would be entirely oriented to the north ..." (Page II-11). '°etbo ieve the residences'shouldbebriented to,the north and the/access road should arrive at the northern front of the residences. Such a design would functionally move the impacts of the evelopment a greater distance•away from the captive bighorn sheep`. Although it is well 40cepted that bighorn sheep are very visual animals,it is not simply a matter of"out-of-sight qu it lout-of-mind". Qthei factors,chiefly distance,influence their behavioral reaction to eeceived threats. Eweo:.are especially sensitive to the distance between their young and iperceived threats during;the lambing season. Timm?Ripe uixtviERIcAlfti Recelyed bSep-16-08 11:49am From-7604315902 To-CITY OF PALM DESERT Page 02 09/16/2008 10:53 FAX 7604315902 US FISH AND WILDLIFE Ij 003/003 2 Mr. Phil Joy, City of Palm Desert Community Development Department Other persons responding to the New Preferred Alternative raised issue with the amount of fill material that would be used to elevate the building sites to acquire better views of the valley. The document states that subject to achievement of the desired views, a reduction in fill material is recommended as feasible (Page.II-6). However it also states, "the extent to which such mitigation may be feasible is not known." Similar to the efforts associated with the visual barriers,we suggest that qualified engineers and architects could accurately estimate these quantities. The needed visual barriers could be shorter if the structures are placed on less fill material. The lack of specific design information makes it difficult to fully evaluate the effects of the project on the captive herd of bighorn sheep. The very sensitive nature of the setting and the potential impacts that may occur to the captive herd make the design very important. Further design alternatives should be explored,because it appears there are measures that could be taken to further mitigate the impacts of the project. ra >, < c, The Bighorn Institute's captive breeding facility has produced bighorn sheep that are capable of :adapting to and surviving in the wild. In some cases,released ewes have been living as wild ,sheep, avoiding predators, finding forage and water, and producing young for over five years. 'The release of captive bighorn has probably prevented the extirpation of bighorn sheep from the <San Jacinto and northern Santa Rosa Mountains. For example,by 2002,bighorn ewes had declined to just four individuals iii the San Jacinto Mountains, and a release program was initiated. Currently,there are 12.adult ewes and 15 adult rams,with 67% of these bighorns originating from the Bighorn Institute or being offspring of sheep released from the Institute. We greatlyavalue the integrity of the captive breeding facility, and do not wish to see the program negatively influenced. Consequently, we find the statement, "However, it must be conservatively assumed the New Preferred Alternative would still have the potential to significantly impact captive adult bighorn sheep and born lambs in the lambing pen through visual and,to a lesser ;degree,auditory habituation.-Thus,impacts to biological resources during construction and ,operation of the project remain significant and unmitigable",cause for concern. We would like :to.continue working with you to'further reduce the potential impacts of the proposed project. We thank you for the opportunity to comment on this project, and your interest in bighorn sheep epnser"s%ation and recovery in the Peninsular Ranges. Please contact Dr. Guy Wagner of our staff at(7 60)431-9440 ext. 372 if your have any questions, '+ Sincerely, )‘ Karen Goebel . Assistant Field Supervisor St: s` a Received Sep-16-08 11:49am From-7604315902 To—CITY OF PALM DESERT Page 03