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3.11 Forest Resources <br />A site-specific flora and fauna survey will be conducted on the site prior to acquisition and will <br />help the County determine in part, which, if any, forest resources may be significantly affected by <br />utilizing this site for the solid waste transfer station. <br />Generally, using information from the North Carolina Natural Heritage Programs (NIA') inventory, <br />the White Cross 7.5-minute USGS quadrangle contains the following forest communities: <br />^ Basic oak-hickory forest <br />^ Dry-mesic oak-hickory forest <br />^ Mesic mixed hardwood forest <br />^ Piedmont monadnock forest <br />3.12 Shellfish or Fish and Their Habitats <br />As stated above, there will be a flora and fauna survey conducted prior to site acquisition that can <br />help determine the location of any shellfish or fish habitats that may be affected by site <br />development. <br />Using the NHP inventory for this White Cross quadrangle, there indicates the presence of three <br />freshwater mussels: <br />^ Alasmidonta varicosa (Brook Floater) <br />^ Lampsilis cariosa (Yellow Lampmussel) <br />^ Strophitus undulates (Creeper) <br />The Brook Floater and Yellow Lampmussel are considered endangered in the state and are a <br />federal species of concern. Both of these species have a distribution in Orange County in the Eno <br />River Subbasin that is located over ten miles from the proposed project site. The Creeper is state- <br />threatened and is located within the Eno and Little River subbasins within Orange County as well <br />as the Cane Creek subbasin, which includes the proposed project site. There is also one species of <br />fish listed as inhabiting this quadrangle according to this inventory,. the Carolina Darter <br />(Etheostoma Collis). This is considered a species of special concern in the state. However, <br />according to the County's Comprehensive Plan, the Carolina Darter has been moved from the <br />current list of threatened and endangered species to the historic list of species as it has not been <br />observed in the County for over 20 years. Please see the attached species descriptions in <br />Appendix B. <br />9 <br />Environmental Assessment <br />Site 056 <br />