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VAUM <br />Page 2 <br />28 May 2013 <br />Burks Solar Array <br />DENR Pro)ect No_ 13 -0417 <br />2. Avoid or minimize impacts to wetlands during construction In addition to providing wildlife habitat, <br />wetland areas perform important functions of flood control and water quality protection U S. Army <br />Corps of Engineers Section 404 permits and N C Division of Water Quality Section 401 Certifications <br />are needed for any impacts to jurisdictional streams or wetlands. Temporarily disturbed wetland areas <br />should be returned to original soils and contours, and reseeded with annual small grains appropriate <br />for the season (e g oats, millet, rye, wheat, or rye grass) and should be allowed to revert to natural <br />wetland vegetation <br />3 If additional overhead transmission lines will be installed, then measures to minimize impacts to birds <br />should be implemented These can include increasing line visibility, insulating wires to cover exposed <br />connections, and increasing the distance between wires so no contact with ground or other energized <br />wire can be made For more information see h4 -flwww fws.gov/birds/documentslPowerlmes 12d <br />4 Consider establishing vegetative cover on the site that is beneficial to wildlife such as native warm <br />season grasses We refer the applicant to Jason Allen, District Wildlife Biologist, at (336) 524 -9801 <br />orlason alloriRticwildlife orb for information on developing a site - specific vegetation plan Although <br />a site - specific plan is preferred, for general information on developing vegetative cover on disturbed <br />soils, please see the attached Seed Mixes for Re- vegetating Disturbed Sites Note it is important to <br />use all of the components of the Basic Mix. Also, we encourage adding one or more of the native <br />species (found in the table at the end) to the Basic Mix to improve habitat for wildlife species <br />5 Mature stands of the Basic Mix are short- statured and will not require mowing. The Basic Mix should <br />persist for many years, but eventually will yield to developing successional species in the seed bank <br />If site and/or transmission line maintenance is needed, avoid mowing between April I and October I <br />to minimize impacts to nesting wildlife We suggest a maintenance schedule that incorporates a <br />portion of the area (e g one -third of the area) each year. Pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals <br />should not be used in wetland areas or near streams. <br />6 Where feasible, consider establishing grassland habitats on the site These are drought tolerant and <br />require minimal mowing maintenance once established. Grasslands provide habitat for migratory and <br />resident birds and small mammals particularly if mowing is done only in late winterlearly spring after <br />winter cover needs are reduced and before nesting occurs For more information on grassland habitats <br />and establishment, please contact Laura. Fogo, U S Fish and Wildlife Service, at (910) 695 -3323 or <br />iaura foeo@fws Roy <br />7 if pesticides or chemicals will be used for site maintenance, then stormwater runoff from the site <br />should be directed to bio- retention areas prior to discharge to streams or wetlands to provide additional <br />protection for water quality and aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitats. <br />S Sediment and erosion control measures should be installed prior to any land clearing or construction <br />These measures should be routinely inspected and properly maintained Excessive slit and sediment <br />loads can have numerous detrimental effects on aquatic resources including destruction of spawning <br />habitat, suffocation of eggs, and clogging of gills of aquatic species <br />9 Measures to mitigate secondary and cumulative impacts can be found in NCWRC's Guidance <br />Memorandum to Address and Mitigate Secondary and Cumulative Impacts to Aquatic and Terrestrial <br />Wildlife Resources and Water Quality (August 2002, <br />htto / /www ncwrldlife or , /Por'tals/0 /Conservin documents /2002 GurdanceMemorandumfo,-Secondar <br />yandCumulativeimpacts pd f}. <br />