California High-Speed Train Project: Merced to Fresno Major Amendment No. 5 (California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2013-025-04 (ITP)

California High-Speed Train Project: Merced to Fresno Major Amendment No. 5 (California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2013-025-04 (ITP)

Project approved by CDFW consists of the ITP, Minor Amendment No. 1, Major Amendment No. 2, Major Amendment 3, Minor Amendment 4, and Major Amendment 5 (the ITP, as amended) which addresses construction and operation of the Merced to Fresno segment of the CA High Speed Train, as approved by the lead agency, affecting or generally related to fish and wildlife resources subject to the regulatory authority of CDFW, including natural resources subject to CESA. The ITP, as amended, authorizes incidental take of CA tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense, CTS), Swainson's hawk (Buteo Swainsoni, SWHA), San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes Macrotis Mutica, SJKF), and hairy Orcutt grass (Orcuttia pilosa) (collectively, the Covered Species). CTS, SWHA, and SJKF are species designated as threatened and hairy Orcutt grass is designated as endangered under CESA. Major Amendment No. 5 makes the following seven changes to the ITP, as further amended: 1) increases the project footprint by 155.72 acres; 2) revises the Project Description to remove, modify, and add infrastructure and right-of-way elements; 3) modifies previous designations of impacted habitat types; 4) modifies acreage of impacts; 5) requires the permanent protection of additional habitat mitigation (HM) lands and accompanying management costs to compensate for Covered Species impacts associated with the 155.72 acre Construction Footprint increase; 6) extends the required timeframe in which protection and transfer of all HM lands and recording of required conservation easements must occur; and 7) increases the Performance Security amount required.

Fresno, Madera

Fresno, Madera