OAR 345-022-0060: Fish and Wildlife Habitat

To issue a site certificate, the Council must find that the design, construction and operation of the facility, taking into account mitigation, are consistent with: (1) The general fish and wildlife habitat mitigation goals and standards of OAR 635-415-0025(1) through (6) in effect as of September 1, 2025; and (2) For energy facilities that impact sage-grouse habitat, the sage-grouse specific habitat mitigation requirements of the Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Strategy for Oregon at OAR 635-415-0025(7) and OAR 635-140-0000 through -0025 in effect as of September 1, 2025. (3) To assist the Council in determining whether the standard outlined in (1) through (2) has been met , the Applicant must submit information about the fish and wildlife habitat and the fish and wildlife species, other than the species addressed in OAR-022-0070(3) (the Threatened and Endangered Species Exhibit) that could be affected by the proposed facility, providing evidence to support a finding by the Council as required by this rule. The applicant must include: (a) A description of biological and botanical surveys performed that support the information in this exhibit, including a discussion of the timing and scope of each survey; (b) Identification of all fish and wildlife habitat in the analysis area, classified by the general fish and wildlife habitat categories as set forth in OAR 635-415-0025 and the sage-grouse specific habitats described in the Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Strategy for Oregon at OAR 635-140-0000 through 635-140-0025 (core, low density, and general habitats), and a description of the characteristics and condition of that habitat in the analysis area, including a table of the areas of permanent disturbance and temporary disturbance (in acres) in each habitat category and subtype; (c) A map showing the locations of the habitat identified in (b); (d) Based on consultation with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and appropriate field study and literature review, identification of all State Sensitive Species that might be present in the analysis area and a discussion of any site-specific issues of concern to ODFW; (e) A baseline survey of the use of habitat in the analysis area by species identified in (d) performed according to a protocol approved by the Department and ODFW; (f) A description of the nature, extent and duration of potential adverse impacts on the habitat identified in (b) and species identified in (d) that could result from construction, operation and retirement of the proposed facility; (g) A description of any measures proposed by the applicant to avoid, reduce, or mitigate the potential adverse impacts described in (f) in accordance with the general fish and wildlife habitat mitigation goals and standards described in OAR 635-415-0025 and a description of any measures proposed by the applicant to avoid, minimize, and provide compensatory mitigation for the potential adverse impacts described in (f) in accordance with the sage-grouse specific habitat mitigation requirements described in the Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Strategy for Oregon at OAR 635-140-0000 through 635-140-0025, and a discussion of how the proposed measures would achieve those goals and requirements; and (h) A description of the applicant’s proposed monitoring plans to evaluate the success of the measures described in (g).