Biological assessment for rare and endangered plant species: Related to CERCLA characterization activities

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5251106

Sackschewsky, M R

Environmental characterization in support of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed waste cleanup (in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980) can involve a large number of both nonintrusive and intrusive activities. Many of these activities could have a detrimental impact on listed plant species. These impacts can be minimized by following simple conservation policies while conducting the various field activities. For instance, frequent off-road vehicular traffic and have a severe impact on native habitats and, therefore, should be kept to a minimum. Personnel performing the field activities should be trained to preserve, respect, and minimize their impact on native habitat while performing work in the field. In addition, areas where sampling is planned should be surveyed for the presence of listed plant species before the initiation of the field activities. Extremely distributed areas could be exempted from this requirement provided adequate habitat assessments have been performed by qualified personnel. Twelve special status plant species are known to survive on or very near the Hanford Site. None of these species currently are listed as Federal Threatened or Endangered Species. However, four local species currently are candidates for federal protection. These species are the Northern Wormwood (Artemisia campestris ssp. borealis var. wormskioldii), Persistantsepal Yellowcress (Rorippa columbiae), Hoover's Desert Parsley (Lomatium tuberosum), and Columbia Milkvetch (Astragalus columbianus).

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-87RL10930
• OSTI ID: 5251106
• Report Number(s): WHC-EP-0526; ON: DE92015906
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
HANFORD RESERVATION
REMEDIAL ACTION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
BIOLOGY
ECOLOGY
ENDANGERED SPECIES
PLANTS
SAFETY
WETLANDS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ECOSYSTEMS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
054000* - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety
540250 - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)