A04_SOW_Golden_Eagle_Telemetry_Final.docx

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 Southern Nevada District Office (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.

The Southern Nevada District Office (SNDO) has funded a golden eagle habitat use study in the Pahrump Valley. The study area, focusing on the area southeast of Pahrump, NV where one large-scale solar facility has been approved and currently in construction (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.

During 2023 of a similar study, the contractor was able to capture and place satellite transmitters on 11 Golden Eagles. Over the course of 2023 and 2024, several of those golden eagles died or disappeared. This new contract will be using data from 2023 and 2024, while continuing to capture new eagles and download data from the currently transmittered eagles.

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 will continue to download the data from currently transmittered Golden Eagles and continue capturing additional Golden Eagles, yearly. The objective is to have up to 11 Golden Eagles transmittered in Pahrump Valley. Transmitters that were previously purchased for this project will be refurbished (if needed) and placed on new Golden Eagles that are captured.

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.

Previous years data, along with any new transmitter data will be used for analysis. Analyze data downloaded from transmitted Golden Eagles from 2023 and 2024 to understand habitat use, movements of individual eagles, and potential impacts from large-scale solar projects.

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 up to 11 eagles. 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 contractor will continue to track Golden Eagles that were previously captured and fitted with satellite transmitters from the previous contract. The contractor shall capture upadditional golden eagles, up to 11 individuals. The contractor will then download the transmitter data on the new golden eagles in addition to downloading the data from the currently transmittered golden eagles that were already captured and fitted with satellite transmitters.

An annual report will be submitted to the BLM covering the following related to habitat use and home range:

a) What is the home range size of each golden eagle transmittered from this project?

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 Period of Performance.

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

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

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

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

Period of Performance: The proposed period of performance for this contract will be from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, with 4 option years.

Place of Performance: Most of the work associated with this contract is within the Pahrump and Sandy Valley, Clark and Nye Co, NV, Southern Nevada District, with some work in the Pahrump and Sandy Valley, San Bernardino Co, CA, 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.

Deliverables

1. Annual progress reports must be submitted to the BLM

2. Final reports detailing habitat use and home range information 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.