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WEST, Inc. 1 March 28, 2014 Stage 1 Initial Site Assessment of Eagle Use/Risk Grande Prairie Wind Farm Holt County, Nebraska Submitted by: Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. 1337 Quebec Avenue North Golden Valley, MN 55427 March 28, 2014 INTRODUCTION Grande Prairie Wind, LLC (Grande Prairie), a wholly owned subsidiary of Geronimo Wind Energy, LLC d/b/a Geronimo Energy, LLC (Geronimo), is considering the development of a proposed wind energy facility in Holt County, Nebraska (Figure 1), known as the Grande Prairie Wind Farm (GPWF). Grande Prairie has asked Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc. (WEST) to develop an initial site assessment for eagles to assess the relative importance of the GPWF project area to resident breeding and non-breeding eagles, and to migrant and wintering eagles. This initial site assessment is intended to meet the requirements of a Stage 1 Initial Site Assessment as described in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance: Module 1 – Land-based Wind Energy, Version 2 (ECPG) (USFWS 2013). The principal objectives of this Stage 1 Initial Site Assessment for the GPWF is to determine whether the GPWF is within areas known or likely to be used by eagles, and if so, to determine the expected extent and type of eagle use of the site. Study Area The proposed GPWF project boundary encompasses about 76,405 acres (30,920 hectares [ha]) and is located in Holt County, Nebraska (Figure 1). The GPWF falls in both the Northern Glaciated Plains and Nebraska Sand Hills Level III Ecoregions (Chapman et al. 2001). The western and southwestern boundaries of the Northwestern Glaciated Plains ecoregion roughly coincide with the limits of continental glaciation. This ecoregion contains a moderately high concentration of semi-permanent and seasonal wetlands, locally referred to as Prairie Potholes. The Nebraska Sandhills ecoregion is one of the largest areas of grass stabilized sand dunes in the world; this region is generally devoid of cropland agriculture and except for some riparian areas in the north and east, the region is generally treeless. Large portions of this ecoregion contain numerous lakes and wetlands and lack streams. The general topography across the GPWF is flat or gently sloping within the central and southern portions, and undulating with gentle to moderate slopes along the western, northern, ENVIRONMENTAL & STATISTICAL CONSULTANTS 415 W. 17 th Street, Suite 200, Cheyenne, WY 82001 Phone: 307-634-1756 www.west-inc.com Fax: 307-637-6981

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Page 1: Grande Prairie Stage 1 Eagle Assessment March2014 eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are typically considered more susceptible to wind turbine collision than bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus),

WEST, Inc. 1 March 28, 2014

Stage 1 Initial Site Assessment of Eagle Use/Risk

Grande Prairie Wind Farm

Holt County, Nebraska

Submitted by:Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc.

1337 Quebec Avenue North

Golden Valley, MN 55427

March 28, 2014

INTRODUCTION

Grande Prairie Wind, LLC (Grande Prairie), a wholly owned subsidiary of Geronimo WindEnergy, LLC d/b/a Geronimo Energy, LLC (Geronimo), is considering the development of aproposed wind energy facility in Holt County, Nebraska (Figure 1), known as the Grande PrairieWind Farm (GPWF). Grande Prairie has asked Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc. (WEST)to develop an initial site assessment for eagles to assess the relative importance of the GPWFproject area to resident breeding and non-breeding eagles, and to migrant and wintering eagles.This initial site assessment is intended to meet the requirements of a Stage 1 Initial SiteAssessment as described in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Eagle ConservationPlan Guidance: Module 1 – Land-based Wind Energy, Version 2 (ECPG) (USFWS 2013).

The principal objectives of this Stage 1 Initial Site Assessment for the GPWF is to determinewhether the GPWF is within areas known or likely to be used by eagles, and if so, to determinethe expected extent and type of eagle use of the site.

Study Area

The proposed GPWF project boundary encompasses about 76,405 acres (30,920 hectares [ha])and is located in Holt County, Nebraska (Figure 1). The GPWF falls in both the NorthernGlaciated Plains and Nebraska Sand Hills Level III Ecoregions (Chapman et al. 2001). Thewestern and southwestern boundaries of the Northwestern Glaciated Plains ecoregion roughlycoincide with the limits of continental glaciation. This ecoregion contains a moderately highconcentration of semi-permanent and seasonal wetlands, locally referred to as Prairie Potholes.The Nebraska Sandhills ecoregion is one of the largest areas of grass stabilized sand dunes inthe world; this region is generally devoid of cropland agriculture and except for some riparianareas in the north and east, the region is generally treeless. Large portions of this ecoregioncontain numerous lakes and wetlands and lack streams.

The general topography across the GPWF is flat or gently sloping within the central andsouthern portions, and undulating with gentle to moderate slopes along the western, northern,

ENVIRONMENTAL & STATISTICAL CONSULTANTS

415 W. 17th

Street, Suite 200, Cheyenne, WY 82001

Phone: 307-634-1756 www.west-inc.com Fax: 307-637-6981

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and eastern portions that give way to streams and other drainages along the Niobrara RiverValley. Within the central and southern part of the GPWF, land use is predominantly cultivatedfarmland for corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) production, and is irrigated by center-pivot irrigation units. Scattered small tracts of grasslands exist for use as pasture, but aregreatly fragmented. The western, northern, and eastern portions of the study area are mostlycomprised of large tracts of native or remnant-native mixed grass prairies and riparian corridorsthat are tributaries of the Niobrara River (Olsson Associates 2012).

Figure 1. Location of the Grande Prairie Wind Farm in Holt County, Nebraska.

METHODS

This Stage 1 Initial Site Assessment describes existing information from publicly availableliterature, databases, and other sources to evaluate the appropriateness of the GPWF fordevelopment as it relates to potential risk to eagles. Several sources of available data wereused to identify biological resources within the GPWF. These sources included publicallyavailable reports, publications, GIS maps, agency reports, species experts, and onlinedatabases, as well as the results of previous biological surveys/studies and agencycorrespondence already completed by Geronimo. Per the ECPG, areas of focus for this Stage 1Initial Site Assessment included:

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1. Recent or historical nesting and seasonal occurrence data for eagles at the prospectivearea;

2. Migration or other regular movement by eagles through the area or surroundinglandscape;

3. Seasonal concentration areas such as a communal roost site in a mature riparianwoodland or waterfowl concentration serving as a major forage base; and

4. Physical features of the landscape, especially topography, that may attract orconcentrate eagles.

Information about eagle nest locations was requested from the Nebraska Game and ParksCommission (NGPC) and was received on February 14, 2014 (R. Simpson, personalcommunication).

GRANDE PRAIRIE SITE CHARACTERISTICS

Land Use/Land Cover

Approximately 64% of the GPWF is grassland and pasture/hay and 32% is cultivated crops(Table 1, Figure 2; USGS NLCD 2006). Open water comprises less than 0.1% and deciduousforest and evergreen forest comprises 0.4% and less than 0.1%, respectively. Approximately0.9% of the GPWF is comprised of woody wetlands and 0.2% of the area is consideredemergent wetlands. Developed and barren land accounts for less than 5% of the GPWF.

Table 1. Land use/cover types present within the Grande Prairie Wind Farm.

Land Use/Cover Project Acres % Total

Open Water 62.05 <0.1Dev.; Open Space 2,457.70 3.2Dev.; Low Intensity 4.26 <0.1Barren 2.66 <0.1Deciduous Forest 353.12 0.4Evergreen Forest 13.80 <0.1Grassland 47,098.80 61.6Pasture/Hay 1173.58 1.5Crops 24,390.80 31.9Woody Wetlands 703.57 0.9Emergent Wetlands 145.38 0.2

Total 76,405.72 100

Data: USGS NLCD 2006

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Figure 2. Land cover in the Grande Prairie Wind Farm (USGS NLCD 2006).

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Wetlands

Formal wetland delineations for the GPWF have not been completed. Based on NationalWetland Inventory (NWI) polygon data (USGS NWI 2007, 2013), there are approximately348.45 acres (141.01 ha) of wetlands, not including streams and rivers, found in the GPWF(Table 2, Figure 3). Based on these data, the GPWF is approximately 0.45% wetlands.Freshwater emergent wetland accounted for the majority (66.2%) of the wetlands, followed byfreshwater pond (30.2%). Wetlands classified as freshwater forested/shrub wetland accountedfor 2.4% of wetlands.

Several named creeks are found throughout the GPWF: Spring Creek, Louse Creek (East andWest branch), Red Otter Creek, Steel Creek, Long Gulch, Yates, and North Branch VerdigreCreek.

Table 2. National Wetland Inventory polygon types present within the Grande Prairie Wind Farmand surrounding area.

Wetland Type Project Acres Percent Total

Freshwater Emergent Wetland 230.51 66.2Freshwater Forested/Shrub Wetland 8.53 2.4Freshwater Pond 105.16 30.2Other 4.25 1.2

Total 348.45 100.0

Data: USFWS NWI 2013

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Figure 3. Wetlands in the Grande Prairie Wind Farm (USFWS NWI 2007, 2013).

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Topography

The GPWF is located within the Holt Tablelands Level IV ecoregion of the Northern GlaciatedPlains and Nebraska Sand Hills Level III Ecoregions, respectively (Chapman et al. 2001). Thisarea has level to rolling hills and breaks, with elevations ranging from 1,200 to 2,404 feet abovesea level (Figure 4; USGS DEM 2001).

The general topography across the GPWF is flat or gently sloping within the central andsouthern portions, and undulating with gentle to moderate slopes along the western, northern,and eastern portions that give way to streams and other drainages along the Niobrara RiverValley (Figure 4).

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Figure 4. Topographic image of the Grande Prairie Wind Farm.

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EAGLE OCCURRENCE IN THE GPWF

Golden Eagle

Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are typically considered more susceptible to wind turbinecollision than bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), as evidenced by higher mortality ratesthroughout their range (Allison 2012). In Nebraska, golden eagles are much more common inthe dry, treeless western portion of the state, with observations during the breeding seasonprimarily limited to the far western portion of the state (Figure 5). Golden eagles are alsorelatively uncommon during migration and the wintering season in the eastern portion ofNebraska near the GPWF, but may occur as rare migrants or wintering birds. Because thisspecies rarely occurs in the eastern part of the state near the GPWF, the remainder of thisStage 1 Initial Site Assessment will focus on bald eagles, which are widespread and morecommon near the GPWF.

Figure 5. eBird data map of golden eagle occurrences observed during the breeding season inNebraska. The yellow star indicates the approximate location of the Grande Prairie Wind Farm.Blue markers indicate all June-July golden eagle observations from 1900-2014, older than 30 daysold (data from 6 February 2014).

Bald Eagle Historical Nesting and Seasonal Occurrence

The bald eagle historically bred in Nebraska but was absent as a breeder for most of the 20th

century (Jorgensen et al. 2010). Throughout most of the 1900s in Nebraska, bald eagles wereconsidered rare to uncommon migrants and winter visitors (Johnsgard 1980, Jorgensen et al.2010). By the late 20th century, bald eagles were observed breeding again in the state andnumbers of breeding pairs have been increasing steadily since. The bald eagle can currently befound in Nebraska year-round but is still considered to be more numerous during migration and

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winter (Joregenson and Dinan 2013). In 2010, Jorgensen et al. recommended that the baldeagle be described as an “uncommon breeder and summer visitor statewide,” replacing theprevious description of “locally rare regular breeder (resident?) statewide” and “rare casualsummer visitor statewide” (Sharpe et al. 2001).

A review of all years of bald eagle year-round data in the eBird database (www.ebird.org 2014)for a nine-county region (Holt County and the eight surrounding counties) indicates a stronglyseasonal occurrence pattern, with bald eagle abundance peaking during December andJanuary, followed by a smaller peak in observations during late March/early April (Figure 6). Thebald eagle observations from this region are primarily concentrated along the Missouri River andNiobrara River but are also dispersed throughout the landscape in lower densities (Figure 7). Itshould be noted that eBird data is a citizen-science database and is comprised of reportedobservations collected without a systematic sampling structure. These data should beinterpreted with caution as observation locations are often skewed toward birding hotspots andaccessible areas, which likely do not include the GPWF. However, these data are useful for theinvestigation of broad spatio-temporal trends.

Figure 6. eBird data1

bald eagles per hour within the nine-county region in which the GrandePrairie Wind Farm is located. Birds per hour is the average number of bald eagles seen per hourspent birding within a specified date range and region.

1(http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?cmd=decisionPage&speciesCodes=baleag&getLocations=counties&counties=US-

NE-003,US-NE-015,US-NE-071,US-NE-089,US-NE-103,US-NE-107,US-NE-115,US-NE-149,US-NE-183&bYear=1900&eYear=2014&bMonth=1&eMonth=12&reportType=species&parentState=US-NE)

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Figure 7. eBird2

data map of Bald Eagle observations within the nine-county region in which the Grande Prairie Wind Farm is located.Observation data are from all months and all years. The yellow star indicates the approximate location of the Grande Prairie Wind Farm.Blue markers indicate all year round observations from 1900-2014, older than 30 days old. Red markers indicate data from the last 30days (data from 6 February 2014).

2(http://ebird.org/ebird/map/baleag?neg=true&env.minX=-106.224819185103&env.minY=38.41686382856792&env.maxX=-

90.404506685103&env.maxY=44.30602364125577&zh=true&gp=true&ev=Z&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=all)

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Resident Breeding and Non-Breeding Eagles

Although the bald eagle was known to winter along rivers and reservoirs in Nebraska, thespecies was not known to breed in Nebraska throughout much of the 20th century (Jorgensen etal. 2010). The first bald eagle nest since the 1800s was documented in 1991 and the number ofnesting bald eagle pairs has increased steadily since, with an average annual increase of 4.6active nests per year (Jorgensen and Dinan 2013). In Nebraska, eagles build stick nests incottonwood trees or in conifers if they are the dominant tree species (Jorgensen et al. 2010).

A review of the 2012 and 2013 Nebraska Bald Eagle Nesting Report (Jorgensen and Dinan2012 and 2013) indicated that statewide, the number of bald eagle nests had decreased slightly(by one nest) from 2012 to 2013. While the decrease in active nests is small, 2013 is the firstyear that the general pattern of increasing nest numbers was not observed as it was in previousyears, despite an increase in survey effort (Jorgensen and Dinan 2013).

In 2012, active bald eagle nests were found in Holt County and five of the eight surroundingcounties. In 2013, active bald eagle nests were found in Holt County and six of the eightsurrounding counties (Table 3). In 2012, only one active bald eagle nest was found in HoltCounty, whereas in 2013, two active nests were found (Table 3). One of the active Holt Countynests is located approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers [km]) to the southeast of the GPWFproject boundary along Lamb Creek. The Niobrara and Missouri Rivers are locatedapproximately 7 miles (11 km) and 20 miles (32 km) north of the GPWF, respectively. Sevenactive nests were recorded along the Missouri River and five active nests were recorded alongthe Niobrara River during 2013 (Jorgensen and Dinan 2013;Figure 8). Nest data requestedfrom Nebraska Game and Parks Commission indicated that there is one nest along the NiobraraRiver that was active in 2014 that is located about 7.0 miles north of the GPWF Projectboundary.

Curry and Kerlinger with Olsson Associates conducted a Breeding Bird Survey within the GPWFduring the spring of 2012. There were no bald eagles observed during this survey. During thespring of 2012, a raptor nest survey was also conducted by Curry and Kerlinger with OlssonAssociates within the GPWF project area and 0.6-mile (1.0-km) buffer. Two bald eagles (oneadult and one sub-adult) were observed in the vicinity of one of the unoccupied nests on theeastern edge of the project boundary. The biologist conducting the survey reported that the pairof eagles seemed to be displaying territorial behavior, which suggests the possibility that theunidentified nest may have been a bald eagle nest. During the same survey period, a singleadult bald eagle was observed gliding less than 0.8 mile north of the nest site.

During the breeding season, bald eagles typically breed in forested areas adjacent to largebodies of water, nesting in large mature deciduous or coniferous trees in forest tracts that haverelatively open canopies or foliage-height diversity that allow for access to nest trees (Buehler2000, Anthony and Isaacs 1989, Wood et al. 1989). The distance to water varies depending onthe population, and occasionally, distance to water appears to be less important than thepresence of quality foraging areas (defined by diversity, abundance, and vulnerability of prey[MacDonald and Austin-Smith 1989]), and absence of human disturbance (McGarigal et al.1991). Trees that bald eagles use for perching are variable and include both coniferous anddeciduous species if available (Buehler 2000). Perch trees encompass a wider range of treespecies and sizes than nest or roost-trees (Stalmaster 1987).

The GPWF land use is primarily grassland and agriculture; however, there are small riparianzones interspersed throughout, especially associated with the small creeks that occur in thenorthern and eastern portions of the GPWF. Given the presence of the Missouri and Niobrara

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Rivers to the north of the GPWF, numerous tributary creeks of the Niobrara River penetratingthe site, and the presence of an active bald eagle nest within one mile (1.6 km) of the GPWF, itis likely that bald eagles will occur within the GPWF on occasion during the breeding season,especially near the small patches of riparian habitat in the northern and eastern portions.

Table 3 Active bald eagle nests in the region surrounding the Grande Prairie Wind Farm. Datafrom the 2012 and 2013 Nebraska Bald Eagle Nesting Reports.

CountyNumber of Nests(2012)

Number of Nests(2013) Direction from Holt County

Holt* 1 2 NABoyd 5 4 NKnox 6 7 EAntelope 4 2 EWheeler 0 0 SGarfield 1 1 SLoup 2 4 SWRock 0 2 WKeya Paha 0 0 NWTotal 19 22

*Grande Prairie Wind Farm is in Holt County

Figure 8. Spatial distribution of active Bald Eagle nests in 2013, from Jorgensen and Dinan 2013.Red icons are 2013 active nest locations.

Wintering Eagles

Bald eagles are considered relatively common during the winter in Nebraska, especially nearrivers and reservoirs (Dinan and Jorgensen 2013), and the wintering population size typicallypeaks in December. Statewide mid-winter surveys conducted in 2013 yielded a total of 725 baldeagles, which was a 38% decrease from the 2012 total (n = 1,172), a 12% decrease from the

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previous 5-year average (n = 821), and a 17% decrease from the 1980 – 2013 statewideaverage (n = 872). It is believed that bald eagles move to different wintering areas from year toyear, which is likely the explanation for the decrease in total number of bald eagles observedduring the 2013 mid-winter survey.

Forty-two percent of the bald eagles counted statewide during the winter were observed alongthe Missouri River (Dinan and Jorgensen 2013). Turbines at hydroelectric facilities on theMissouri River produce dead and stunned fish and eagles exploit this convenient food resource.Large concentrations of bald eagles are often observed below dams on the Missouri Riverduring the winter.

Bald eagles may congregate in communal roosts in winter to conserve energy, exploit protectivemicroclimates, and reduce foraging costs (USFWS 2010). Roost sites are typically in maturetrees where eagles are sheltered from the wind and inclement weather (USFWS 2007). Buehleret al. (1991) found that winter communal roosts are more often located close to water sourcesand away from human development than at random sites. Bald eagles are consideredopportunistic foragers and food habits vary and depend on prey species available (Mersmann1989). Bald eagles are often attracted to aquatic habitats and prefer foraging on fish (DeLong1990). During the winter months, bald eagles may rely heavily on carrion (fish, birds, andmammals) as a primary food source, and may be found feeding on carrion in dry, open uplandsduring the winter (Buehler 2000). Bald eagles also forage at waterfowl concentration areasduring the winter where mortality due to hunting provides a reliable supply of waterfowlcarcasses for scavenging (Griffin et al. 1982). Perching habitat during the winter is similar toother times of the year and is characterized by tall trees located adjacent to foraging areas(Buehler et al. 1992, Chandler et al. 1995).

While the GPWF lacks large waterbodies that may be attractive to wintering eagles, given theproximity to the Missouri River and Niobrara River, bald eagles may occur within the GPWFproject area during the winter, especially when carrion are present. The GPWF contains swathsof grasslands that are used for cattle grazing and the presence of cattle carcasses couldpotentially attract bald eagles.

Bald Eagle Migration or Other Regular Movement

Bald eagle migration patterns depend primarily on the age of the bird (immature or adult),location of the breeding site, breeding site climate, and food availability (Buehler 2000).Migration is not as regular as with other migrants, as movements are often opportunistic,somewhat unpredictable, and widely dispersed in time (Buehler 2000). Bald eagles typically donot migrate in kettles or flocks, but concentrations of migrants may occur at communal feedingand roost sites during migration (Buehler 2000). Fall migration occurs during August throughJanuary. In the Great Lakes region and adjacent areas in Canada, bald eagles often migratesouth along major river systems like the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in search of food(Buehler et al. 1991). In the spring, bald eagles may return to their breeding grounds as soon asthe weather improves and food is available, again using major river valleys as migrationcorridors. The spring migratory period is generally considered to occur from January to March.Migration occurs during the day when thermals provide for opportunities to soar with limitedenergetic expense.

Although the Missouri River is approximately 20 miles to the north of the GPWF, eagles maypass through the GPWF during migration, especially if there are food sources such as carrionavailable. Little information is available regarding the characteristics of stopover habitat usedduring migration. It is likely that the suitability of stopover habitat is most related to food

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availability rather than vegetative composition or structural characteristics. Stopover sites areusually areas with consistent fish-kills (often found below hydroelectric dams on the MissouriRiver), concentrations of fish and waterfowl, or the presence of large mammals as carrion(McClelland et al. 1996). Roosts that most commonly see repeated use as stopover sitesconsist of clumps of mature deciduous trees in riparian areas protected from human disturbanceand proximate to foraging opportunities. Locations within the GPWF that may serve as stopoversites for eagles are limited to areas primarily around the project edge where there are ripariancorridors and scattered small wetlands and ponds. Pasture land may attract bald eagles ifcarrion is present. The tributaries of the Niobrara River may serve as appropriate migratoryhabitat for bald eagles if sufficient food resources are nearby. There are several small namedcreeks that occur in the GPWF, as well as several small open water bodies where a smallnumber of waterfowl could occur (see Figure 3). These areas may be more likely to support baldeagle occurrence during the migratory period.

Bald Eagle Seasonal Concentration Areas

The GPWF does not contain habitat or landscape features that would lead to seasonalconcentration of bald eagles. There are no large bodies of water such as reservoirs and largerivers within the GPWF that may consistently attract large numbers of wintering eagles (seediscussion above in Wintering Eagles section). The majority of the GPWF is composed ofgrassland and agricultural habitat, with a limited amount of riparian habitat associated with theNiobrara River tributaries. While there may be some eagle use associated with these riparianzones, use will likely be limited to individual birds. Ephemeral foraging opportunities in the formof cattle carcasses and road kill may temporarily attract eagles, especially during the winter.

Bald Eagle Physical Landscape Features

Physical features of the landscape that may attract or concentrate eagles are limited within theGPWF. The general topography across the GPWF is flat or gently-sloping within the central andsouthern portions, and undulating with gentle to moderate slopes along the western, northern,and eastern portions that give way to streams and other drainages along the Niobrara RiverValley. It is likely that bald eagles will migrate through the GPWF in a broad-front fashionbecause there are no prominent north/south ridges or valleys that are likely to funnel migrantsthrough the project area (Liguori 2005; Figure 3). Trees, shrubs, and small open water sourcesmay provide some stopover habitat for migrating bald eagles but concentrated use is notexpected anywhere within the GPWF.

CONCLUSIONS

The ECPG (USFWS 2013) suggest specific questions that should be considered to help place aprospective project site into an appropriate risk category. These questions are answered belowbased on the information compiled during the Stage 1 Initial Site Assessment.

1. Does existing or historical information indicate that eagles or eagle habitat may be presentwithin the geographic region under development consideration?

Eagles and eagle habitat are present within the geographic region under developmentconsideration; however, the specific GPWF project area is less likely than the surrounding areasto support high bald eagle use because the biological resources eagles rely on are foundprimarily outside of the project area, especially to the north along the Missouri and NiobraraRivers. There is one bald eagle nest that has been documented approximately 0.8 miles from

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the project boundary and additional potential nesting habitat exists in the limited amount ofriparian habitat associated with Niobrara River tributaries that penetrate the GPWF.

2. Within a prospective project site, are there areas of habitat known to be or potentiallyvaluable to eagles that would be destroyed or degraded due to the project?

There is limited potentially valuable habitat for eagles within the GPWF. In the central andsouthern part of the GPWF, land use is predominantly center-pivot-irrigated farmland cultivatedfor corn and soybean production. Scattered small tracts of grasslands exist for use as pasturebut are greatly fragmented. The western, northern, and eastern portions of the GPWF aremostly comprised of large tracts of native or remnant-native mixed grass prairies and ripariancorridors that are tributaries of the Niobrara River.

3. Are there important eagle use areas or migration concentration sites documented orthought to occur in the project area?

There are no important eagle use areas or migration concentration sites documented or thoughtto occur in the GPWF. The important bald eagle use areas and migration concentrations sitesare located to the north of the GPWF along the Missouri and Niobrara Rivers.

4. Does existing or historical information indicate that habitat supporting abundant prey foreagles may be present within the geographic region under development consideration?

There is no existing or historical information that indicates habitat within the GPWF supportsabundant prey for bald eagles. There are no large waterbodies within the GPWF that wouldsupport large concentrations of fish or waterfowl. These resources are limited to areas north ofthe GPWF along the Missouri and Niobrara Rivers.

5. For a given prospective site, is there potential for significant adverse impacts to eaglesbased on answers to above questions and considering the design of the proposed project?

The potential for significant adverse impacts to bald eagles from construction and operation ofthe GPWF is relatively low. Bald eagles have the potential to occur in the GPWF during allseasons but will likely occur in low numbers. The areas of highest risk of eagle occurrencewithin the GPWF are the riparian corridors associated with the tributaries of the Niobrara River,located in the western, northern, and eastern portions of the project area.

Stage 2 Site-Specific Surveys and Assessment

In an effort to continue to continue to follow the ECPG, WEST will conduct a Stage 2-Site-Specfic Surveys Assessment consisting of two tasks: Eagle Stick Nest Surveys/Monitoring andFixed-Point Eagle Use Surveys. The principal objective of the Eagle Stick NestSurveys/Monitoring will be to document the presence of Bald Eagle and other large raptor nestswithin the project boundary and 2-mile (3.2-km) area (the stick nest survey buffer will also beextended 6-7 miles north of the Project boundary to encompass the Niobrara River). Theobjective of the Fixed-Point Avian Use Survey will be to provide information regarding levels ofuse by eagles and other large bird species, for use in calculating an eagle take estimate. Thesesurveys will be conducted for one year and will consist of monitoring 40 point count locationsestablished within the GPWF (Figure 9).

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Figure 9. Proposed Fixed-avian Point Count Survey Locations for the Grande Prairie Wind Farm Stage 2-Site-Specific Surveys andAssessments.

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