Agenda - Council - 09/14/2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Trott Brook Crossing EAW August 2021 likely used by wildlife adapted to agricultural and suburban environments, such as white-tailed deer, songbirds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The project area falls in the Anoka Sandplain Ecological Subsection of the MN DNR Ecological Classification System and the Anoka Sand Plain and Mississippi Valley Outwash of the Level IV Ecoregion of the U.S. EPA. This area consists of a flat, sandy lake plain and terraces along the Mississippi River. Land use in the area includes row crops, small grains, suburban development, wetlands, woodlands. Much of the project area has reduced wildlife habitat value because it has been utilized to produce annually tilled agricultural crops for years. Cropland consisted of corn during field surveys in 2021. A tree survey will be performed to assess the quantity and quality of woodland on the project site, and identify any specimen trees present. The majority of the woodland proposed for removal with implementation of the project consists of rows of planted trees, which have limited ecological value. b. Describe rare features such as state -listed (endangered, threatened or special concern) species, native plant communities, Minnesota County Biological Survey Sites of Biodiversity Significance, and other sensitive ecological resources on or within close proximity to the site. Provide the license agreement number (LA-989) and/or correspondence number (ERDB [none assigned]) from which the data were obtained and attach the Natural Heritage letter from the DNR. Indicate if any additional habitat or species survey work has been conducted within the site and describe the results. State A Natural Heritage Inventory System (NHIS) data request was submitted to the MN DNR to assess whether known locations of rare plant or animal species or other significant natural features are known to occur within an approximate 1-mile radius of the project area. A response had not yet been obtained from the MN DNR at the time this EAW was approved for distribution. In lieu of an MN DNR NHIS database search, Kjolhaug Environmental Services queried a licensed copy of the NHIS database to assess rare species and natural features previously identified on or near the site. The NHIS review identified records of one state special concern species and one state threatened species recorded within a 1-mile radius of the project area. Neither of these species is on the Federal threatened and endangered species list. Observations of Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), a state threatened reptile, were recorded within one mile of the project area. Blanding's turtles prefer calm shallow water, rich aquatic vegetation, and select open grassy uplands with sandy soils for nesting. The project area includes potential Blanding's turtle nesting habitat, therefore the following measures will be implemented to minimize potential impacts: • Designing the project roadways with surmountable curbs; • Installing silt fencing to keep turtles out of construction areas and removing fencing after the area has been revegetated; and • Distributing the Blanding's turtle flier to all contractors working on -site. 23