EPC was selected to design and implement methods to protect sensitive species, particularly the desert tortoise, in support of the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency’s Grand Challenge, an autonomous vehicle race in California (2004) and Nevada (2005). EPC also developed and presented biological and environmental training for the staff and competitors. Even though the driverless vehicles traversed terrain with many desert tortoises, no animals were injured or killed in either year by utilizing creative mitigation measures.
The Delhi-Sands Flower-loving Fly (Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis; DSF) is a federally listed endangered species that has historically occupied approximately 40 square miles in the area of southern the Southern California Cities of Ontario, Colton, and Fontana. Its status as an endangered species has been locally contentious as the protection of its habitat is viewed as a hindrance to development. EPC has provided a variety of services for clients since 1996. These include development and use of a large scale habitat suitability evaluation technique, surveys according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protocols by permitted biologists, consultation regarding development of roadways and power facilities, biological support for the development of a mitigation bank, and videography in support of marketing and training materials.
EPC has been providing biological support for new construction of the 500kV Devers to Palo Verde 2 transmission project since early 2012 as part of a larger interdisciplinary team. At peak, EPC had 50 biologists working on the project conducting protocol surveys and biological monitoring with species focus on desert tortoise, Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, flat-tailed horned lizard, Stephen’s kangaroo rat, and avian species. EPC was chosen to exclusively provide the biological monitoring support for wire stringing operations owing to our experience, expertise in this area.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) desired to determine desert tortoise density and distribution at the 14,000 acre Lake Pleasant Regional Park in order to focus recreational development in areas other than those suitable for desert tortoise. As an impoundment, the lake was surrounded by steep, rocky terrain. EPC developed and implemented unique strategies to achieve the BOR objectives including helicopter initial habitat assessments to define areas suitable for focused surveys, focused ground surveys using biologists with expertise in Sonoran desert habitat who accessed survey areas by boat, and an analysis technique based on standardized relative density methodologies.
Constellation Energy constructed the 830 MW gas-fired High Desert Power Plant near Victorville, California. The natural gas was supplied by a newly constructed 32-mile long pipeline interconnect to the Kern River Gas Transmission Line. The new line traversed occupied desert tortoise habitat. EPC was tasked with surveys and biological support for the transmission line. Intensive surveys were conducted to identify resources and unique strategies that focused on both protecting the resources and monitoring of construction activities was employed to achieve zero “take” of sensitive resources and construction of the project on schedule.