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3. Environmental Checklist San Leandro Treatment Wetland IS/MND 3-20 February 2024 • For raptor nests, the size of the buffer zone shall be a 250-foot radius centered on the nest; • For other birds, the size of the buffer zone shall be a 50- to 100-foot radius centered on the nest. These distances may be adjusted depending on the level of surrounding ambient activity and if an obstruction, such as a building or structure, is within line-of-sight between the nest and construction. Reduced buffers may be allowed if a full-time qualified biologist is present to monitor the nest and has authority to halt construction if bird behavior indicates continued activities could lead to nest failure. Buffered zones shall be avoided during construction-related activities until young have fledged or the nest is otherwise abandoned. b) Effects on riparian habitat or sensitive natural community: CDFW identifies certain vegetation communities as special status, indicating that they are of limited distribution in California and may also support rare plants.19 The Proposed Project site will occur entirely on disturbed and upland habitats dominated by ruderal vegetation. Therefore, Project implementation would not result in impacts on special-status vegetation communities. Patches of pickleweed (Salicornia pacifica) and three other species associated with Pickleweed Mats (CaCode 52.215.00), are present outside the construction area of the Proposed Project, in the tidal slough south of the basin (i.e., saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), marsh gumplant (Grindelia stricta var. angustifolia), and fleshy jaumea (Jaumea carnosa). These species are characteristic of Pickleweed Mats (CaCode 52.215.00). However, the Proposed Project has been designed to avoid the southern levee and tidal slough. Shellfish or Eelgrass Beds: NMFS has designated two Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) within the San Francisco Bay- Delta region. HAPCs are defined by NMFS as the waters and substrate necessary for fish spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity. For the San Francisco Bay- Delta these are eelgrass (Zostera marina) and native Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) beds. Eelgrass beds are exceedingly rare in South San Francisco Bay and do not occur within the Project Site or immediate vicinity.20 To assess the presence of eelgrass beds in and around the Proposed Project Site, biological surveys were performed, as described in Appendix B (Biological Resources Habitat Assessment). Areas in the vicinity of the Proposed Project site do not contain any shellfish beds or eelgrass beds. The tidal slough within the Action Area is not located in designated shellfish or eelgrass habitat and no shellfish beds or eelgrass were observed at or near the outfall during field surveys. While no impacts are anticipated to any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural communities, the Proposed Project site is adjacent to a tidal slough and includes placement of an underground pipe over a culvert which facilitates flow from a tidally influenced ditch, which bisects the access roads 19 California Department of Fish and Wildlife. California Sensitive Natural Communities. Updated June 1, 2023. Available at: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/VegCAMP/Natural-Communities 20 Boyer, K.E. and S. Wyllie-Echeverria. 2010. San Francisco Bay Subtidal Habitat Goals Report, Appendix 8-1: Eelgrass Conservation and Restoration in San Francisco Bay: Opportunities and Constraints. Available at https://sfbaysubtidal.org/report.html