Utility and Energy

550 MW Topaz Solar Project

Pre-project assessment of habitat for identification of survey needs including review of previous work performed.
Determining potential for occurrence of state- or federal-listed endangered, threatened and special-status species

Technical assistance with application preparation for California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit (CESA ITP)
Designated Biologist and Biological Monitoring Support
- Implementation of CESA ITP, Federal Biological Opinion, and San Luis Obispo County Mitigation Monitoring Plan
- Nesting bird/bird fatality surveys
- San Joaquin kit fox (SJKF) monitoring (den monitoring, construction monitoring, and telemetry)

Client: Arcadis (2019 and 2020)

MBI conducted blunt-nosed leopard lizard (BNLL) protocol surveys following the CDFW 2004 and CDFW 2019 Approved Survey Methodology for the Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard (Methodology) respectively. The project consisted of 24 survey areas located in San Luis Obispo and Kern Counties. In total, at least 408 surveys were conducted for this project alone.
MBI organized and scheduled surveys efficiently and effectively to ensure their completion within the Methodology’s recommendations. While BNLL was the focus of the surveys, surveyors were also responsible for documenting all wildlife observations. Data was collected using ArcGIS Field Maps database and applicable records were submitted to the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB).