Preconstruction Survey
If covered amphibians are present or assumed present,* no more than 24 hours prior to the date of initial ground disturbance and vegetation clearing, a USFWS-Approved Biologist will walk in the project site to investigate all potential areas that could be used by the Covered Species of amphibians (as identified in Table 5) for feeding, breeding, sheltering, movement, and other essential behaviors. If a covered amphibian species is encountered during the survey, the Project Proponent will refer to and follow procedures described below in AMP-9, Encounters with Species; and AMP-10, Species Observations and Handling Protocol, for passively allowing the species to move out of the work area or actively relocating the species out of harm’s way. Proposed restoration projects that may need to actively relocate amphibians out of harm’s way will require the Project Proponent to submit a projectspecific species relocation plan for USFWS review and approval, as described in AMP-10.
Footnote:
* The Project Proponent will assume a species is present in an area when suitable habitat is present within the current range of the species and their absence has not been determined by a negative finding using protocol level surveys.