The Horse Heaven site certification agreement (SCA) requires the pre-operational technical advisory group (PTAG) to review and develop recommendations on certain mitigation measures.
The table below describes those measures, along with links to reports and approval letters. Please see Appendix 2 of the SCA (link, 555 KB pdf) for a full list of mitigation measures.
|
Mitigation Measure |
Description |
Approval Details |
|
Habitat (HAB) |
|
|
|
(HAB 1) Corridor mitigation plan |
A plan explaining the extent of direct and indirect habitat impacts within wildlife movement corridors on the project site. The plan includes proposed measures, features, and restoration plans to reduce potential impacts and accommodate wildlife movement. |
Must be approved 90 days prior to construction |
|
(HAB 5) Indirect habitat loss mitigation plan |
A plan describing potential loss of habitat function and changes in wildlife behavior due to project construction. The plan includes criteria for evaluating and selecting sites to compensate for habitat changes on the project site. |
Must be approved 90 days prior to construction |
|
(HAB 6) Final design |
The certificate holder will work with EFSEC and the PTAG on the development of the final project layout and design, applying recommended mitigation measures. |
Must be approved 180 days prior to construction
|
|
Wildlife (WILD) |
|
|
|
(WILD 10) Pre-construction bat monitoring |
Surveys that develop an estimate of regional bat populations depending on the season.
|
2/24/26 |
|
Species (SPEC) |
|
|
|
(SPEC 1) Striped Whipsnake & Sagebrush Lizard |
A plan that describes methods to reduce potential impacts on habitat, mortality, barriers to movement, and steps for species management.
|
2/24/26 |
|
(SPEC 4) Burrowing Owl
|
A plan detailing how to avoid and/or mitigate disturbances to active burrows, as well as strategies to monitor active burrows.
|
2/24/26 |
|
(SPEC 5) Ferruginous Hawk |
A mitigation and management plan that outlines the efforts to site project infrastructure to avoid core habitat. The plan includes steps taken during construction to avoid sensitive time periods for the species, as well as pre- and post-construction monitoring strategies.
|
10/15/25 EFSEC Resolution 357 (link, 4.8 MB pdf)
|
|
(SPEC 8) Prairie Falcon
|
A series of pre-construction surveys that identifies nests and creates seasonal buffers during nesting season.
|
2/24/26 |
|
(SPEC 10) Black-tailed Jackrabbit & White-tailed Jackrabbit |
A survey that identifies suitable habitat and a management plan that identifies mitigation strategies to reduce potential habitat loss.
|
2/24/26 |
|
(SPEC 12) Townsend's Ground Squirrel |
A management plan that includes mitigation measures to reduce pre-construction impacts, as well as post-construction monitoring and adaptive management strategies.
|
2/24/26 |
|
(SPEC 13) Pronghorn Antelope |
A study that details seasonal antelope occurrence and habitat use patterns. The study will be used to develop adaptive management measures, as well as rationales for the construction of fencing.
|
Must be approved 60 days prior to initiation of surveys (pre-construction) |