N6945024R0166 BA for NAS Pensacola Airfield Phase II.pdf

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

FOR

AIRFIELD TRANSITIONAL CLEAR ZONE TREE CLEARING

AT

NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

April 2024 i

Table of Contents

1. Background

2. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

3. Description of the Proposed Action

3.1 Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

4. Description of the Proposed Action

4.1 Wetlands Vegetation Loss and Future Maintenance

4.2 Uplands Vegetation Loss and Future Maintenance

5. Listed Species, Potential Impacts, and Protective Measures

5.1 Eastern Indigo Snake

5.2 Tricolored Bat

List of Acronyms

COMNAVAIRLANT Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic DPS Distinct Population Segment ESA Endangered Species Act NAS Naval Air Station NATOPS Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization NAVFIG Naval Flight Information Group NEPA National Environmental Protection Act OCS Obstacle Clearance Surface TERPS Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures UFC Unified Facilities Criteria U.S. United States

1. Background

On 4 January 2023, the U.S. Navy (Navy) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) completed an informal consultation for clearing approximately 201 acres of trees at the North, South, East, and West runway approaches of Runways 7R, 25R, 25L, 1 and 19 (FWS Log 2023-0024469).

The current action represents the second and final phase of tree clearing at these runways, targeting approximately 107 acres of transitional surface and clear zones along the side slopes of these runways.

2. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

The United States (U.S.) Navy at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, proposes to remove approximately 107 acres of trees that encroach upon the transitional surface and clear zones of Runways 7R, 25R, 25L, 1 and 19, as required by Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 3-260-01 Section 3-15.3, which states that trees projecting into the transitional surface must be removed or lowered to a distance below the surface. Trees are permitted near an airfield provided that they do not penetrate the transitional surface, the taxiway clearance distance, the apron clearance distance, or instrument procedure obstacle identification surfaces as described in regulations. These measures are in place to eliminate air operational hazards.

Trees have grown to a height that creates a significant safety hazard to pilots and aircraft as they take off and land. Military flight operations would be restricted if the trees are not cleared, which is counter to the mission of NAS Pensacola.

During recent Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) evaluations at NAS Pensacola, trees on the clear zone transitions were written up as potential violations to the instrument approaches at NAS Pensacola. Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (COMNAVAIRLANT) directed the unit to accomplish tree height measurements in order to validate the height of the suspected trees, and these measurements were completed by NAS Pensacola Public Works.

Utilizing the provided tree measurements, an obstacle assessment under the United States Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS) was completed. The assessment found that trees in the transitional clear zones of Runways 7R, 25R, 25L, 1 and 19 are penetrating the Obstacle Clearance Surface (OCS). Trees within wetlands that are taller than 25 feet would be individually cut by hand. Within targeted uplands, Naval Flight Information Group (NAVFIG) recommends eliminating all of the trees in order to guarantee that every tree penetrating the OCS is removed and to prevent the need to repeat this process in coming years as the trees continue to grow.

3. Description of the Proposed Action

3.1 Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

The Main Station at NAS Pensacola is comprised of approximately 5,800 acres located in Escambia County on a peninsula on the western side of Pensacola Bay. This peninsula is bordered to the south by Big Lagoon and Pensacola Bay, to the east by Pensacola Bay, and to the north by Bayou Grande (Figure 3-1).

Figure 3-1. Vicinity map of Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

4. Description of the Proposed Action

Work includes, but is not limited to, the following: land surveying and staking, wetland delineation, civil site work plans addressing Best Management Practices for permitting stormwater erosion control and management, address National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) environmental conditions, timber cutting and removing, brush mulching, terrain grading, and final stabilization.

Timber clearing would not occur in spring (March 20-June 20) in order to avoid unauthorized takes of active bird nests in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). This precaution may be waived in specific sub-parcels where the absence of active nests in the trees can be conclusively determined by an avian biologist.

The transitional clear zone areas to be cleared during this proposed action are depicted as yellow and blue polygons in Figure 4-1. The yellow polygons encompass a cumulative 95 acres of uplands habitat and the blue polygons encompass a cumulative 12 acres of wetlands. Please note, all acreage measurements are approximate and would be verified by the Contractor’s team.

Figure 4-1. The Transitional Clear Zones (Action Area). Yellow shading indicates uplands and blue shading represents wetlands. Wetland boundaries would be confirmed prior to project commencement.

Wetland Acreage: Estimated wetland areas are depicted as blue overlays in Figure 3-1. Work in these areas is defined as a select tree removal. Selected trees shall be cut to height of 6 inches above ground level and carefully dropped in place with minimal disturbance to wetland conditions.

Any scaring, abrupt surface irregularities, ruts or ditches would be hand-graded back to existing grade conditions.

Upland Acreage: Estimated upland areas are depicted as yellow overlays in Figure 3-1. Work in these areas is defined as cut and clear. Trees, snags, stumps, shrubs, brush, limbs, and other vegetative growth would be removed and disposed of to the maximum height of 3 inches above ground level. All evidence of their presence would be removed from the surface, including sticks and branches greater than 1 inch in diameter of thickness.

A contractor would remove all trees and ground brush within the upland areas and remove selected trees within the wetland areas. Cleared upland areas would be prepared to promote and allow natural vegetation to re-establish while also preparing ground conditions for future periodic mowing. Within wetlands, any tree or vegetation extending a height of 25 feet or greater would be cut. Cutting would consist of cutting trees 6 inches above grade or the waterline. Felled trees would remain in place, and be felled in such a manner as to prevent impacts to the natural water or stormwater flow direction.

The uplands work would be accomplished using tree-cutting machines, such as a feller bunchers and skidders, similar to the type of equipment that would be used during a regular timber sale.

After the trees are felled and removed, a gyrotrac would grind the remaining stumps and shrubs.

The wetlands work would be accomplished with chain saws and, where accessible, gyrotracs.

Trees felled in the wetlands would be left in place.

4.1 Wetlands Vegetation Loss and Future Maintenance

Wetlands vegetation includes slash pine (Pinus taeda), red maple (Acer rubrum), swamp tupelo (Nyssa biflora), sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), and swamp titi (Cyrilla racemiflora).

Much of this acreage has not been previously cleared in the past two or three decades. Vegetation maintenance would be performed on a long-term rotation of approximately 15 years in the Wetland areas.

4.2 Uplands Vegetation Loss and Future Maintenance

Uplands vegetation includes longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), slash pine (Pinus taeda), sand pine (Pinus clausa), and laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia). Vegetation maintenance for the upland areas would include mowing on a quarterly basis to a height of approximately 4 inches above grade.

5. Listed Species, Potential Impacts, and Protective Measures

5.1 Eastern Indigo Snake

Eastern indigo snakes have never been observed on NAS Pensacola and may have been extirpated there, and – according to information from the Orianne Society – across most of the Florida panhandle. This is difficult to confirm, though, because their cryptic nature makes Eastern indigo snakes difficult to detect. As a precaution, the Navy would comply with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's “Standard Protection Measures for the Eastern Indigo Snake” dated 23 March 2021 (Attachment A). All gopher tortoise burrows, active or inactive, will be identified with flagging and scoped to confirm the burrow is not occupied prior to any site manipulation within 25 feet of each burrow. If potentially occupied burrows, active or inactive are not scoped prior to site manipulation, felling only with no grinding or mulching shall be used within 25 feet of the burrow to avoid any harm to the burrows or species occupying burrows. If this requirement cannot be completed and excavation of an occupied burrow is required, the excavation method selected shall minimize the potential for injury of an indigo snake, and would follow the excavation guidance provided in the most current Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines found at http://myfwc.com/gophertortoise. If an indigo snake is encountered, the snake would be allowed to vacate the area prior to additional site manipulation in the vicinity.

Holes, cavities, and snake refugia other than gopher tortoise burrows would be inspected each morning before planned site manipulation of a particular area, and if occupied by an indigo snake, no work would commence until the snake vacates the vicinity of the proposed work.

A survey of NAS Pensacola in 2017 found 473 gopher tortoise burrows in the Main Station (Brown and Tuberville 2018; Attachment B). As seen in Figure 5-1, Polygons #19, 20, and 24 in Figure 5-1 have previously-located gopher tortoise burrows directly within them. These areas therefore are of chief concern for avoiding incidental Eastern indigo snake takes, although, due to the wide range of the species, the precautions described above would be fully implemented throughout the entire project area.

Pursuant to the ESA, the Proposed Action may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect, eastern indigo snakes and would have no effect on eastern indigo snake critical habitat as none is located in the Action Area.

Figure 5-1. Location and condition of gopher tortoise burrows detected during 2017 surveys

5.2 Tricolored Bat

The tricolored bat is one of the smallest bats in eastern North America. It was proposed for federal listing as an endangered species on 14 September 2022 (87 FR 56381), and is included in this consultation in case it becomes listed before the proposed action is complete. In response to the proposed listing, a project of the NAS Pensacola Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) was awarded and kicked off in March 2024 to conduct a mist-netting, radio-tracking, and acoustic detection survey of bats on the installation in the summer of 2024. Data from that survey is not available in time for this consultation, but could help inform the NAS Pensacola Environmental Department about bat presence and habitat use near the airfield in the latter stages of the proposed action.

Tricolored bats are nocturnal and commonly eat small moths, beetles, and other insects among the trees along riparian waterways and forest edges. They use echolocation to find prey and navigate their habitat. During winter, tricolored bats hibernate in caves, abandoned mines, abandoned tunnels, and road-associated culverts. During spring, summer, and autumn months, they roost primarily among leaf clusters of live or recently-dead deciduous hardwood trees. They also roost among Spanish moss.

The primary factor threatening tricolored bats is white-nose syndrome, a disease of hibernating bats named for an exotic, invasive white fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) that grows on the muzzle, wings, and other soft tissues of bats. White-nose syndrome has depressed tricolored bat populations so much that human activities and other factors that were not significant before may be so now. Habitat loss and fragmentation is another threat, and may result in loss of suitable roosting or foraging habitat, requiring individuals to fly greater distances to rest and feed.

Additionally, climate change variables, such as changes in temperature and precipitation, may influence tricolored bat resource needs, such as suitable roosting habitat, foraging habitat, and prey availability.

The areas affected by tree felling and land clearing associated with the Proposed Action are not optimal habitat for tricolored bats. Although hardwood trees, such as sweetbay magnolia, swamp tupelo, red maple, and oaks are present, they are relatively young and do not provide the optimal bat habitat that would be offered by older dying and deceased trees. The project area is not riparian, so the extent of proposed thinning and clearing is not expected to heavily impact foraging success for the species, especially since abundant marsh is present on the northern perimeter of NAS Pensacola. In the unlikely event that any tricolored bats were present, they would be expected to fly away before enduring any harm. Females give birth to litters in the spring. Clearing would be limited during spring (March 20-June 20) to specific sub-parcels where the absence of active bird nests in the trees can be conclusively determined by an avian biologist. Although this mitigation is not focused directly on bat conservation, it would have the benefit of slowing the proposed clearing in sub-parcels with hardwood tree species, which are conducive to both bird nesting and bat roosting.

Pursuant to the ESA, the Proposed Action may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect, tricolored bats and would have no effect on tricolored bat critical habitat as none is located in the Action Area.