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Y <br />DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT <br />POTENTIAL LEVEL OF IMPACT TO RAPTOR POPULATIONS <br />Consequences of human activities to raptor populations will depend in large part on the <br />proportion of nests and habitats affected by a disturbance. The potential level of impacts should <br />be determined prior to proceeding with proposed land use activities: <br />Impacts to raptor habitat should be assessed by quantifying and/or qualifying losses of <br />habitat value. The Service's Mitigation Policy considers habitat value to be the primary <br />measure for determining impacts to wildlife habitat, including raptors. The Service's <br />Mitigation Policy further suggests application of Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) or <br />other evaluation methodologies agreed upon by the project proponents and actions <br />agencies to evaluate project impacts to wildlife habitats, including raptor habitats as <br />identified in Tables 1-8. Whether a habitat alteration is an adverse impact to raptors and <br />whether it requires mitigation should be determined in coordination with appropriate <br />Service, State wildlife resources management agency, and/or land management agency <br />wildlife biologists. <br />2. Impacts to raptor population levels can be evaluated in part by determining the proportion <br />of nests potentially affected by project activities for each species. Size of area selected <br />for this analysis should be dependent on the type of disturbance, species of raptors, and <br />topographical and vegetation features. <br />To ensure comprehensive analysis of proposed project impacts to raptors, evaluations should <br />address, but not necessarily be limited to the following: <br />Direct and indirect impacts to raptor habitat and nesting success. Direct impacts may <br />include, but are not limited to: loss of foraging habitat from the project footprint, direct <br />mortality of raptors (e.g., due to collisions with vehicles, electrocution on power lines), <br />and loss of nest sites or winter roost sites. Indirect impacts may include, but are not <br />limited to: noise disturbance, degradation of habitat adjacent to the project area, habitat <br />fragmentation, contamination of food sources, and reduction or changes in available prey <br />species. <br />Cumulative impacts of the proposed project to raptor habitat and nesting success when <br />added to past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions. <br />Raptor population and habitat trends on "control areas" outside the proposed project area <br />that are not impacted by similar actions as the proposed action. <br />HABITAT MANAGEMENT <br />General Guidelines <br />Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation are widely accepted causes contributing to raptor <br />population declines worldwide (Snyder and Snyder 1975, Newton 1979, LeFranc and Millsap <br />10