Section 2: Biological Resources
Anchor: #b120009Protected Species Requirements
Ensure the contractor adheres to any USFWS or TPWD recommendations included in the contract. The recommendations would include avoidance and minimization measures stated in the plans, such as avoidance of sensitive wildlife and wildlife habitats in the project area. Ensure the contractor has the necessary information to identify and recognize sensitive wildlife and wildlife habitats. Protected species include state or federally listed endangered species, migratory birds, sensitive wildlife, and wildlife habitats that may be found within the project at any time. In order to meet protected species requirements:
- Anchor: #HCKBGETM
- Become aware of the commitments pertaining to any species in the environmental permits, issues, and commitments (EPICs) section in the plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E). Anchor: #WHMIGUGF
- Review species coordination specific to the project, including avoidance and minimization measures in the construction plans. Anchor: #TVUJEGEI
- Ensure the contractor makes a good faith effort to implement any avoidance and minimization measures in the construction plans and recommendations included in the contract. Anchor: #CEAJKKWJ
- Ensure the contractor has the necessary information to recognize protected species or habitat in the project area. This information is available from the District Environmental Quality Coordinator (DEQC). Anchor: #CACDBFWM
- Inform the contractor to notify the DEQC immediately if any protected species or new habitat is found in the project area. Anchor: #RPRHJVMC
- Ensure any existing wildlife crossing structures, fences, wildlife guards, escape ramps, and other mitigation are not moved, cut, or altered in any activities that may allow wildlife to access the road right of way, or impede their finding and moving through the structures. If wildlife crossing structures, fences, and other features are part of the contract, ensure all infrastructure elements are exactly to specifications, with fences completely buried or at the soil level with no holes, escape ramps to the correct heights and slope ratios, wildlife crossing structures completely open and accessible to wildlife and not blocked by any fences, no barb wire placed on any fences, and other wildlife considerations in the contract. Contact the environmental coordinator for specific project information. Anchor: #XORKKQIH
- Ensure that ENV is given the opportunity to review project activities resulting from change orders that extend project impacts into new right of way (ROW) or easements that were not included in the original PS&E. ENV will then coordinate the review with the appropriate agencies and provide the results of the review to the AE and the DEQC, who will then notify the contractor when work may resume.
For more information on protected species, contact ENV's Natural Resources Management Section.