HomeMy WebLinkAbout20211041 Ver 1_Ashe 273 IPaC_ Explore Location results_202108048/1/2021 IPaC: Explore Location resources
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IPaC resource list
This report is an automatically generated list of species and other resources such as critical habitat
(collectively referred to as trust resources) under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS)
jurisdiction that are known or expected to be on or near the project area referenced below. The list
may also include trust resources that occur outside of the project area, but that could potentially be
directly or indirectly a ected by activities in the project area. However, determining the likelihood and
extent of e ects a project may have on trust resources typically requires gathering additional site-
speci c (e.g., vegetation/species surveys) and project-speci c (e.g., magnitude and timing of proposed
activities) information.
Below is a summary of the project information you provided and contact information for the USFWS
o ce(s) with jurisdiction in the de ned project area. Please read the introduction to each section that
follows (Endangered Species, Migratory Birds, USFWS Facilities, and NWI Wetlands) for additional
information applicable to the trust resources addressed in that section.
Location
Ashe County, North Carolina
Local o ce
Asheville Ecological Services Field O ce
(828) 258-3939
(828) 258-5330
160 Zillicoa Street
Asheville, NC 28801-1082
http://www.fws.gov/nc-es/es/countyfr.html
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceIPaC
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Endangered species
This resource list is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an analysis of project
level impacts.
The primary information used to generate this list is the known or expected range of each species.
Additional areas of in uence (AOI) for species are also considered. An AOI includes areas outside of
the species range if the species could be indirectly a ected by activities in that area (e.g., placing a
dam upstream of a sh population even if that sh does not occur at the dam site, may indirectly
impact the species by reducing or eliminating water ow downstream). Because species can move,
and site conditions can change, the species on this list are not guaranteed to be found on or near the
project area. To fully determine any potential e ects to species, additional site-speci c and project-
speci c information is often required.
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act requires Federal agencies to "request of the Secretary
information whether any species which is listed or proposed to be listed may be present in the area
of such proposed action" for any project that is conducted, permitted, funded, or licensed by any
Federal agency. A letter from the local o ce and a species list which ful lls this requirement can only
be obtained by requesting an o cial species list from either the Regulatory Review section in IPaC
(see directions below) or from the local eld o ce directly.
For project evaluations that require USFWS concurrence/review, please return to the IPaC website
and request an o cial species list by doing the following:
1. Draw the project location and click CONTINUE.
2. Click DEFINE PROJECT.
3. Log in (if directed to do so).
4. Provide a name and description for your project.
5. Click REQUEST SPECIES LIST.
Listed species and their critical habitats are managed by the Ecological Services Program of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the sheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA Fisheries ).
Species and critical habitats under the sole responsibility of NOAA Fisheries are not shown on this
list. Please contact NOAA Fisheries for species under their jurisdiction.
1. Species listed under the Endangered Species Act are threatened or endangered; IPaC also shows
species that are candidates, or proposed, for listing. See the listing status page for more
information. IPaC only shows species that are regulated by USFWS (see FAQ).
2. NOAA Fisheries, also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), is an o ce of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the Department of Commerce.
The following species are potentially a ected by activities in this location:
Mammals
1
2
NAME STATUS
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Reptiles
Flowering Plants
Lichens
Critical habitats
Gray Bat Myotis grisescens
Wherever found
No critical habitat has been designated for this species.
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/6329
Endangered
Northern Long-eared Bat Myotis septentrionalis
Wherever found
No critical habitat has been designated for this species.
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/9045
Threatened
NAME STATUS
Bog Turtle Clemmys muhlenbergii
No critical habitat has been designated for this species.
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/6962
SAT
NAME STATUS
Heller's Blazingstar Liatris helleri
Wherever found
No critical habitat has been designated for this species.
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/5962
Threatened
Swamp Pink Helonias bullata
Wherever found
No critical habitat has been designated for this species.
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/4333
Threatened
Virginia Spiraea Spiraea virginiana
Wherever found
No critical habitat has been designated for this species.
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/1728
Threatened
NAME STATUS
Rock Gnome Lichen Gymnoderma lineare
Wherever found
No critical habitat has been designated for this species.
https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/3933
Endangered
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Potential e ects to critical habitat(s) in this location must be analyzed along with the endangered
species themselves.
THERE ARE NO CRITICAL HABITATS AT THIS LOCATION.
Migratory birds
The birds listed below are birds of particular concern either because they occur on the USFWS Birds
of Conservation Concern (BCC) list or warrant special attention in your project location. To learn more
about the levels of concern for birds on your list and how this list is generated, see the FAQ below.
This is not a list of every bird you may nd in this location, nor a guarantee that every bird on this list
will be found in your project area. To see exact locations of where birders and the general public have
sighted birds in and around your project area, visit the E-bird data mapping tool (Tip: enter your
location, desired date range and a species on your list). For projects that occur o the Atlantic Coast,
additional maps and models detailing the relative occurrence and abundance of bird species on your
list are available. Links to additional information about Atlantic Coast birds, and other important
information about your migratory bird list, including how to properly interpret and use your
migratory bird report, can be found below.
For guidance on when to schedule activities or implement avoidance and minimization measures to
reduce impacts to migratory birds on your list, click on the PROBABILITY OF PRESENCE SUMMARY at
the top of your list to see when these birds are most likely to be present and breeding in your project
area.
Certain birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle
Protection Act .
Any person or organization who plans or conducts activities that may result in impacts to migratory
birds, eagles, and their habitats should follow appropriate regulations and consider implementing
appropriate conservation measures, as described below.
1. The Migratory Birds Treaty Act of 1918.
2. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940.
Additional information can be found using the following links:
Birds of Conservation Concern http://www.fws.gov/birds/management/managed-species/
birds-of-conservation-concern.php
Measures for avoiding and minimizing impacts to birds
http://www.fws.gov/birds/management/project-assessment-tools-and-guidance/
conservation-measures.php
Nationwide conservation measures for birds
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/management/nationwidestandardconservationmeasures.pdf
1
2
NAME BREEDING SEASON (IF A
BREEDING SEASON IS INDICATED
FOR A BIRD ON YOUR LIST, THE
BIRD MAY BREED IN YOUR
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Probability of Presence Summary
The graphs below provide our best understanding of when birds of concern are most likely to be
present in your project area. This information can be used to tailor and schedule your project
activities to avoid or minimize impacts to birds. Please make sure you read and understand the FAQ
"Proper Interpretation and Use of Your Migratory Bird Report" before using or attempting to interpret
this report.
Probability of Presence ()
Each green bar represents the bird's relative probability of presence in the 10km grid cell(s) your
project overlaps during a particular week of the year. (A year is represented as 12 4-week months.) A
taller bar indicates a higher probability of species presence. The survey e ort (see below) can be used
to establish a level of con dence in the presence score. One can have higher con dence in the
presence score if the corresponding survey e ort is also high.
How is the probability of presence score calculated? The calculation is done in three steps:
1. The probability of presence for each week is calculated as the number of survey events in the
week where the species was detected divided by the total number of survey events for that week.
For example, if in week 12 there were 20 survey events and the Spotted Towhee was found in 5 of
them, the probability of presence of the Spotted Towhee in week 12 is 0.25.
2. To properly present the pattern of presence across the year, the relative probability of presence is
calculated. This is the probability of presence divided by the maximum probability of presence
across all weeks. For example, imagine the probability of presence in week 20 for the Spotted
Towhee is 0.05, and that the probability of presence at week 12 (0.25) is the maximum of any
week of the year. The relative probability of presence on week 12 is 0.25/0.25 = 1; at week 20 it is
0.05/0.25 = 0.2.
PROJECT AREA SOMETIME WITHIN
THE TIMEFRAME SPECIFIED,
WHICH IS A VERY LIBERAL
ESTIMATE OF THE DATES INSIDE
WHICH THE BIRD BREEDS ACROSS
ITS ENTIRE RANGE. "BREEDS
ELSEWHERE" INDICATES THAT THE
BIRD DOES NOT LIKELY BREED IN
YOUR PROJECT AREA.)
Canada Warbler Cardellina canadensis
This is a Bird of Conservation Concern (BCC) throughout its range in
the continental USA and Alaska.
Breeds May 20 to Aug 10
Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus
This is a Bird of Conservation Concern (BCC) throughout its range in
the continental USA and Alaska.
Breeds Apr 20 to Aug 20
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
This is a Bird of Conservation Concern (BCC) throughout its range in
the continental USA and Alaska.
Breeds May 10 to Aug 31
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no data survey e ort breeding season probability of presence
3. The relative probability of presence calculated in the previous step undergoes a statistical
conversion so that all possible values fall between 0 and 10, inclusive. This is the probability of
presence score.
To see a bar's probability of presence score, simply hover your mouse cursor over the bar.
Breeding Season ()
Yellow bars denote a very liberal estimate of the time-frame inside which the bird breeds across its
entire range. If there are no yellow bars shown for a bird, it does not breed in your project area.
Survey E ort ()
Vertical black lines superimposed on probability of presence bars indicate the number of surveys
performed for that species in the 10km grid cell(s) your project area overlaps. The number of surveys
is expressed as a range, for example, 33 to 64 surveys.
To see a bar's survey e ort range, simply hover your mouse cursor over the bar.
No Data ()
A week is marked as having no data if there were no survey events for that week.
Survey Timeframe
Surveys from only the last 10 years are used in order to ensure delivery of currently relevant
information. The exception to this is areas o the Atlantic coast, where bird returns are based on all
years of available data, since data in these areas is currently much more sparse.
SPECIES JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Canada Warbler
BCC Rangewide
(CON) (This is a
Bird of
Conservation
Concern (BCC)
throughout its
range in the
continental USA
and Alaska.)
Kentucky Warbler
BCC Rangewide
(CON) (This is a
Bird of
Conservation
Concern (BCC)
throughout its
range in the
continental USA
and Alaska.)
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Wood Thrush
BCC Rangewide
(CON) (This is a
Bird of
Conservation
Concern (BCC)
throughout its
range in the
continental USA
and Alaska.)
Tell me more about conservation measures I can implement to avoid or minimize impacts to migratory birds.
Nationwide Conservation Measures describes measures that can help avoid and minimize impacts to all birds at any
location year round. Implementation of these measures is particularly important when birds are most likely to occur
in the project area. When birds may be breeding in the area, identifying the locations of any active nests and
avoiding their destruction is a very helpful impact minimization measure. To see when birds are most likely to occur
and be breeding in your project area, view the Probability of Presence Summary. Additional measures or permits
may be advisable depending on the type of activity you are conducting and the type of infrastructure or bird species
present on your project site.
What does IPaC use to generate the migratory birds potentially occurring in my speci ed location?
The Migratory Bird Resource List is comprised of USFWS Birds of Conservation Concern (BCC) and other species that
may warrant special attention in your project location.
The migratory bird list generated for your project is derived from data provided by the Avian Knowledge Network
(AKN). The AKN data is based on a growing collection of survey, banding, and citizen science datasets and is queried
and ltered to return a list of those birds reported as occurring in the 10km grid cell(s) which your project intersects,
and that have been identi ed as warranting special attention because they are a BCC species in that area, an eagle
(Eagle Act requirements may apply), or a species that has a particular vulnerability to o shore activities or
development.
Again, the Migratory Bird Resource list includes only a subset of birds that may occur in your project area. It is not
representative of all birds that may occur in your project area. To get a list of all birds potentially present in your
project area, please visit the AKN Phenology Tool.
What does IPaC use to generate the probability of presence graphs for the migratory birds potentially occurring
in my speci ed location?
The probability of presence graphs associated with your migratory bird list are based on data provided by the Avian
Knowledge Network (AKN). This data is derived from a growing collection of survey, banding, and citizen science
datasets .
Probability of presence data is continuously being updated as new and better information becomes available. To
learn more about how the probability of presence graphs are produced and how to interpret them, go the
Probability of Presence Summary and then click on the "Tell me about these graphs" link.
How do I know if a bird is breeding, wintering, migrating or present year-round in my project area?
To see what part of a particular bird's range your project area falls within (i.e. breeding, wintering, migrating or year-
round), you may refer to the following resources: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds Bird Guide, or (if you
are unsuccessful in locating the bird of interest there), the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Neotropical Birds guide. If a
bird on your migratory bird species list has a breeding season associated with it, if that bird does occur in your
project area, there may be nests present at some point within the timeframe speci ed. If "Breeds elsewhere" is
indicated, then the bird likely does not breed in your project area.
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What are the levels of concern for migratory birds?
Migratory birds delivered through IPaC fall into the following distinct categories of concern:
1. "BCC Rangewide" birds are Birds of Conservation Concern (BCC) that are of concern throughout their range
anywhere within the USA (including Hawaii, the Paci c Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands);
2. "BCC - BCR" birds are BCCs that are of concern only in particular Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) in the
continental USA; and
3. "Non-BCC - Vulnerable" birds are not BCC species in your project area, but appear on your list either because of
the Eagle Act requirements (for eagles) or (for non-eagles) potential susceptibilities in o shore areas from certain
types of development or activities (e.g. o shore energy development or longline shing).
Although it is important to try to avoid and minimize impacts to all birds, e orts should be made, in particular, to
avoid and minimize impacts to the birds on this list, especially eagles and BCC species of rangewide concern. For
more information on conservation measures you can implement to help avoid and minimize migratory bird impacts
and requirements for eagles, please see the FAQs for these topics.
Details about birds that are potentially a ected by o shore projects
For additional details about the relative occurrence and abundance of both individual bird species and groups of
bird species within your project area o the Atlantic Coast, please visit the Northeast Ocean Data Portal. The Portal
also o ers data and information about other taxa besides birds that may be helpful to you in your project review.
Alternately, you may download the bird model results les underlying the portal maps through the NOAA NCCOS
Integrative Statistical Modeling and Predictive Mapping of Marine Bird Distributions and Abundance on the Atlantic
Outer Continental Shelf project webpage.
Bird tracking data can also provide additional details about occurrence and habitat use throughout the year,
including migration. Models relying on survey data may not include this information. For additional information on
marine bird tracking data, see the Diving Bird Study and the nanotag studies or contact Caleb Spiegel or Pam Loring.
What if I have eagles on my list?
If your project has the potential to disturb or kill eagles, you may need to obtain a permit to avoid violating the Eagle
Act should such impacts occur.
Proper Interpretation and Use of Your Migratory Bird Report
The migratory bird list generated is not a list of all birds in your project area, only a subset of birds of priority
concern. To learn more about how your list is generated, and see options for identifying what other birds may be in
your project area, please see the FAQ "What does IPaC use to generate the migratory birds potentially occurring in
my speci ed location". Please be aware this report provides the "probability of presence" of birds within the 10 km
grid cell(s) that overlap your project; not your exact project footprint. On the graphs provided, please also look
carefully at the survey e ort (indicated by the black vertical bar) and for the existence of the "no data" indicator (a
red horizontal bar). A high survey e ort is the key component. If the survey e ort is high, then the probability of
presence score can be viewed as more dependable. In contrast, a low survey e ort bar or no data bar means a lack
of data and, therefore, a lack of certainty about presence of the species. This list is not perfect; it is simply a starting
point for identifying what birds of concern have the potential to be in your project area, when they might be there,
and if they might be breeding (which means nests might be present). The list helps you know what to look for to
con rm presence, and helps guide you in knowing when to implement conservation measures to avoid or minimize
potential impacts from your project activities, should presence be con rmed. To learn more about conservation
measures, visit the FAQ "Tell me about conservation measures I can implement to avoid or minimize impacts to
migratory birds" at the bottom of your migratory bird trust resources page.
Facilities
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National Wildlife Refuge lands
Any activity proposed on lands managed by the National Wildlife Refuge system must undergo a
'Compatibility Determination' conducted by the Refuge. Please contact the individual Refuges to
discuss any questions or concerns.
THERE ARE NO REFUGE LANDS AT THIS LOCATION.
Fish hatcheries
THERE ARE NO FISH HATCHERIES AT THIS LOCATION.
Wetlands in the National Wetlands Inventory
Impacts to NWI wetlands and other aquatic habitats may be subject to regulation under Section 404
of the Clean Water Act, or other State/Federal statutes.
For more information please contact the Regulatory Program of the local U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers District.
Please note that the NWI data being shown may be out of date. We are currently working to update
our NWI data set. We recommend you verify these results with a site visit to determine the actual
extent of wetlands on site.
This location overlaps the following wetlands:
Data limitations
The Service's objective of mapping wetlands and deepwater habitats is to produce reconnaissance level information
on the location, type and size of these resources. The maps are prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery.
Wetlands are identi ed based on vegetation, visible hydrology and geography. A margin of error is inherent in the
use of imagery; thus, detailed on-the-ground inspection of any particular site may result in revision of the wetland
boundaries or classi cation established through image analysis.
The accuracy of image interpretation depends on the quality of the imagery, the experience of the image analysts,
the amount and quality of the collateral data and the amount of ground truth veri cation work conducted. Metadata
should be consulted to determine the date of the source imagery used and any mapping problems.
Wetlands or other mapped features may have changed since the date of the imagery or eld work. There may be
occasional di erences in polygon boundaries or classi cations between the information depicted on the map and
the actual conditions on site.
RIVERINE
R3UBH
A full description for each wetland code can be found at the National Wetlands Inventory website
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Data exclusions
Certain wetland habitats are excluded from the National mapping program because of the limitations of aerial
imagery as the primary data source used to detect wetlands. These habitats include seagrasses or submerged
aquatic vegetation that are found in the intertidal and subtidal zones of estuaries and nearshore coastal waters.
Some deepwater reef communities (coral or tuber cid worm reefs) have also been excluded from the inventory.
These habitats, because of their depth, go undetected by aerial imagery.
Data precautions
Federal, state, and local regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over wetlands may de ne and describe wetlands in a
di erent manner than that used in this inventory. There is no attempt, in either the design or products of this
inventory, to de ne the limits of proprietary jurisdiction of any Federal, state, or local government or to establish the
geographical scope of the regulatory programs of government agencies. Persons intending to engage in activities
involving modi cations within or adjacent to wetland areas should seek the advice of appropriate federal, state, or
local agencies concerning speci ed agency regulatory programs and proprietary jurisdictions that may a ect such
activities.