Section 2081.9 Of Article 3. Taking, Importation, Exportation, Or Sale From California Fish And Game Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 1.5. >> Article 3.
2081.9
. (a) Notwithstanding Section 5050, the department may
authorize, under this chapter, the incidental take of limestone
salamander (Hydromantes brunus) resulting from impacts attributable
to the Department of Transportation's implementation of the Ferguson
Slide Permanent Restoration Project on State Route 140 from 8 miles
east of Briceburg to 7.6 miles west of El Portal in Mariposa County,
contingent upon the fulfillment of the following conditions:
(1) The Department of Transportation begins construction of the
Ferguson Slide Permanent Restoration Project on or before January 1,
2016.
(2) The department has determined that the Department of
Transportation will adopt appropriate avoidance and mitigation
measures to protect the limestone salamander through enforceable
commitments that, at a minimum, include the following:
(A) A construction work window that prevents initial
ground-disturbing construction activities from occurring on the
southern slope during the salamander's active season of December to
March, inclusive.
(B) Environmentally sensitive area fencing in the form of
five-foot orange plastic mesh, as well as salamander protection
exclusionary fencing in the form of 24-inch sheet metal, will be
erected if construction-related activities will occur adjacent to
limestone salamander habitat during their active season.
(C) A biological monitor will be onsite during active building to
inspect the worksite and all exclusionary fencing.
(D) All ground-disturbing activities within 100 feet will cease if
a limestone salamander is detected in an active construction site
until the animal can be safely removed from the area according to an
agreed-upon salvage plan.
(3) The requirements of subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 2081
are satisfied for the take of the limestone salamander.
(4) The department ensures that all further measures necessary to
satisfy the conservation standard of subdivision (d) of Section 2805
are incorporated into the project.
(5) The take authorization provides for the development and
implementation, in cooperation with the department, of an adaptive
management process for monitoring the effectiveness of, and adjusting
as necessary, the measures to minimize and fully mitigate the
impacts of the authorized take. The adjusted measures are subject to
Section 2052.1.
(6) The failure to appropriate funds does not relieve the
applicant of the obligations of paragraphs (1) and (2).
(7) Any observations of the species in the worksite and any
accidental injury or mortality from vehicle strikes or other means
will be reported to the department immediately and the onsite
biological monitor will notify the resident engineer who will halt
the work immediately.
(b) This section shall not be construed to exempt the Ferguson
Slide Permanent Restoration Project on State Route 140 from 8 miles
east of Briceburg to 7.6 miles west of El Portal in Mariposa County
from any other law.