Caltrans Cromberg Project Eagle Permit NEPA Documents

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received an application from the California Department of Transportation requesting eagle take coverage under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The application requested authorization for incidental disturbance take of eagles associated with highway rehabilitation and widening at the Cromberg Project. The Project is along 20 miles of Highway 70 in Plumas County, California. The Project will involve traffic control, earth work, installing drainage, installing lines for drainage channels, placing aggregate base, placing cement, placing hot mix asphalt, installing of guard railing, placing erosion control, and installing markers. Activities are scheduled to occur for 18 months, from approximately May 2024 to November 2025. These activities may disturb a golden eagle pair nesting in the vicinity of the project, which may prevent them from breeding and producing offspring.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, to assess impacts of the proposed action of issuance of the requested short-term (two-year) incidental eagle take permit to the applicant, as well as alternatives to the proposed action. The proposed action of issuing a permit requires implementation of measures to avoid and minimize adverse effects to eagles to the maximum extent practicable and compensatory mitigation to fully offset eagle take. Details of the minimization measures and compensatory mitigation can be found in the EA. The analysis detailed in the EA resulted in selection of the proposed action and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI and final EA documents are provided here.