A04_SOW--Golden_Eagle_Telemetry_--.doc

Project Title:

Pahrump Valley Golden Eagle Habitat Use

Background: Proposals for renewable energy projects have increased over the last several years due to the establishment of state-mandated Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and other policy drivers that seek to increase the production of energy from renewable sources. The BLM has funded golden eagle habitat use studies in several areas, but there is a paucity of data within the Southern Nevada District Office (SNDO). The SNDO contains high solar resource opportunities, and thus the region has been the focus of numerous energy development projects. The effect that these utility-scale energy development projects will have on golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Mojave Desert is unknown.

This project will take place within Pahrump Valley, specifically focusing on the area southeast of Pahrump, NV where one large-scale solar facility has been approved (Yellow Pine Solar), and an additional 5 other large-scale solar applications have been submitted to the Southern Nevada District Office. Pahrump Valley spans the border of California and Nevada, with BLM managed by both the Southern Nevada District Office and the California Desert District Office. Currently, all solar facilities are proposed on BLM land within Nevada, but eagles will be captured in Nevada, as well as California.

The golden eagle is protected by state and federal laws, including the Nevada Department of Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. BLM actions must comply with the Eagle Protection Act, and under the National Environmental Policy Act, the BLM must consider the impacts to golden eagles and their habitat for all renewable energy projects on BLM administered lands. Information pertaining to golden eagle populations and habitat in the Southern Nevada District Office is limited, thus hampering the BLM’s ability to understand impacts from renewable energy development and effectively manage for stable golden eagle populations on BLM lands.

Based on the best available information, golden eagle populations appear to be in decline throughout much of their range, however, the rate of decline is unknown. Raptor surveys of the intermountain west indicate steady declines in golden eagle populations, potentially due to shrub loss and prolonged drought, causing decline in abundance of prey species (Kochert and Steenhof 2002; Hoffman and Smith 2003). Habitat loss from urbanization and human activity and development are also factors in population declines across the western U.S. (Kochert and Steenhof 2002; Good et al. 2007). While few published long-term data sets of golden eagle populations in the western U.S. exist, surveys of the Mojave and Sonoran (Colorado) Deserts are particularly lacking (Lederle et al. 2000; Good et al. 2007). Because golden eagles could be affected through cumulative habitat loss and direct mortality from renewable energy developments, this project seeks to determine the impact of renewable energy development on golden eagle populations by gaining a better understanding of eagle home range, habitat use, and population dynamics. Future risk analyses for the golden eagle may be informed by changes in resident eagle habitat use in areas where energy development occurs. This project is designed to be part of a concerted western North America range-wide effort to understand golden eagle habitat use and home range size.

Program Objectives: Our objective is to utilize the information gathered by this project to evaluate the potential impacts of proposed renewable energy projects more effectively on golden eagles within the desert regions of Nevada, specifically the Southern Nevada District Office.

The project should improve our basic understanding of golden eagles in arid environments and assist the BLM in evaluating effects of renewable energy development on eagle populations.

Constraints:

Limited budget, limited time period

Purpose: The purpose of this acquisition is to collect and report field data on golden eagle in the Pahrump Valley. The goal of this project is to gain a better understanding of eagle biology in the low desert such as home range and habitat use. This project is designed to be part of a concerted western North America range-wide effort to understand golden eagle habitat use and home range size.

Scope: The contractor will perform all activities necessary for the completion of a golden eagle study. The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, supplies, services, permits, and licenses necessary to collect filed data and report on habitat use and population demographics of golden eagles (Aquila chrystaetos). BLM anticipates the study could last between 1 and 5 years and could collect data on 3-10 individuals. While we anticipate that capture of eagles would occur within Pahrump Valley, within the Southern Nevada District Office and California Desert District Office. BLM anticipates that this study would continue to gather data on the individuals should they leave the desert region.

The kinds of research questions that the BLM is interested in related to habitat use and home range include:

a) What is the home range of the golden eagle in the Mojave Desert?

b) Do the size and/or area of home range use change seasonally, and are changes correlated with habitat quality, specific habitat features, human use, or other factors?

c) Is the new solar development of Yellow Pine Solar or any other solar facilities in Pahrump Valley impacting golden eagle habitat use and behavior?

d) How do breeding and nesting affect home range size from year to year?

e) Do eagles avoid the existing solar resource development areas?

f) As potentially more large-scale solar facilities are built in potential hunting grounds of golden eagles, will golden eagle nesting and flight behavior change?

This project will gather information needed to more effectively evaluate the potential impacts of proposed renewable energy projects on BLM lands within the Southern Nevada District Office and surrounding area of Nevada and California.

Proposal Contents: Project proposals should include the following:

1) A literature review supporting the methods proposed by the proponent.

2) A map with golden eagle nests or territories that are identified for potential trapping.

3) A detailed discussion of the project methodology, including technology (e.g. GPS units, telemetry devices, transmitters) to be employed in the completion of the project.

4) Description of the data that will be collected for each bird relocation, including a description of the database with a full description of the data fields.

5) A summary of the proposed statistical approach(es) which will be used to demonstrate findings.

6) A time-table for completion.

7) Submit a proposed project life-span and a rationale for the proposed duration.

8) Proposal must include a project budget by phases (i.e. database development, eagle capture, data gathering, rough draft, final report, etc.)

9) Identify a process for information exchange between yourself and the BLM Nevada State Office and Southern Nevada District Office, including progress and final reports.

10) Identify how progress will be measured and by what benchmarks or units you propose to be paid.

11) Identify key personnel (functions and roles) and provide a discussion of their experience and qualifications for the project.

12) Describe how past experience (yours and any proposed sub-contractors) has qualified you to perform the type of work contemplated by this project.

13) Identify how you intent to ensure conformance with the proposed timetable and budget, and suggest disincentives for non-attainment of project benchmarks.

Period of Performance: The proposed period of performance for this contract will be from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2027, with no optional periods.

Place of Performance: Most of the work associated with this contract is within the Southern Nevada District, with some work in the California Desert District. If eagles from this study leave the desert region, data would need to continue to be collected on these individuals, wherever they may roam.

Site Visit Information N/A

Government Furnished Property

N/A

Government Furnished Information

N/A

Deliverables

1. Annual progress reports must be submitted to the BLM

2. Final reports and maps of eagle habitat use must be submitted to the BLM.

3. Database with all location data for all eagles must be submitted to the BLM.

Quality Assurance Plan

See attached document titled: Quality Assurance Plan