Abstract
This Habitat Mitigation Plan (plan) describes methods and standards for enhancement of an area of land near the Biglow Canyon Wind Farm (BCWF) to mitigate for certain impacts of the facility on wildlife habitat. The applicant has proposed a habitat mitigation area of approximately 117 acres as described below. The certificate holder shall enhance the mitigation area as described in this plan and shall place the area into a conservation easement for the life of the facility.
The objective of the enhancement methods is to improve the habitat value of the mitigation area and to protect the area for wildlife use for the life of the facility. This plan has been prepared to guide the habitat enhancement efforts within the mitigation area. The plan specifies the primary actions the certificate holder must undertake and the goals, monitoring procedures, and success criteria to evaluate enhancement success.
Prior to any construction of the BCWF, the site certificate holder shall acquire the legal right to create, maintain and protect the habitat mitigation area for the life of the facility by means of an outright purchase, conservation easement or similar conveyance and shall provide a copy of the documentation to the Oregon Department of Energy (Department). Prior to any construction of the BCWF, the site certificate holder shall complete an "Implementation Plan" approved by the Department that describes in detail how the Habitat Mitigation Plan will be carried out. During the first phase of construction of the BCWF, the site certificate holder shall begin to implement this plan so that all of the specific enhancement methods described in Section VII are in place by the end of construction of that first phase.