For Immediate Release: Thursday October 25, 2001        CA-610-02-09
Contact: BLM -- Jan Bedrosian or John Dearing (916) 978-4610 or
FWS - Lois Grunwald 805-644-1766

"No Jeopardy" Biological Opinion Issued on Soledad Canyon Sand and Gravel Project

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today received a biological opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) concluding that the development of the sand and gravel project in Soledad Canyon in northeastern Los Angeles County would not jeopardize the continued existence of the endangered arroyo toad.

BLM State Director Mike Pool said the BLM, which signed a Record of Decision approving the project to be operated by Cemex (formerly Transit Mixed Concrete, Inc.) in August 2000, will require the company to comply with all terms and conditions in the biological opinion as a condition of approval.  BLM's Record of Decision requires that the company consult with specified regulatory agencies, including FWS, and obtain necessary permits or authorizations required by law.  The company has indicated that while the additional measures required by this biological opinion will add to the cost of the project, they can be accommodated to provide the necessary protection for the arroyo toad.

The measures developed specifically to protect the arroyo toad include an employee education program, the installation of additional monitoring wells, relocation of arroyo toads found near well pads, construction of exclusionary fences, continuous monitoring of groundwater elevations along the Santa Clara River, curtailment of pumping if groundwater elevations decline beyond specified levels, and restrictions on vehicular use.

The BLM's re-initiation of consultation with FWS on this project was made necessary by the discovery, in May 2001, of arroyo toad tadpoles in pools along the Santa Clara River channel near the project site.  The Santa Clara River is intermittent at the project site, and becomes totally dry as the summer progresses.  The portion of the river and the pools in question are located south of Soledad Canyon Road on private lands within the project area, but outside of the mining site to the north.  No adult toads were located.  The arroyo toad is a small (two to three inches) light greenish gray or tan toad with warty skin and dark spots.  It was listed by the FWS as an endangered species in 1994.

Related documents:
     - Complete biological opinion (PDF file, 1.9 megabytes)
     - Fieldwork Code of Practice, Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force (PDF file, 115 kilobytes)
     - Figure 1, Map of Area B (PDF file, 519 kilobytes)
     - Figure 2, Map of Action Area in the Santa Clara River (PDF file, 288 kilobytes)

Note: PDF files above require Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free download from the company.

Further information can be obtained from BLM at (916) 978-4610 or FWS at (805) 644-1766.

-BLM-

California Desert District Office - 6221 Box Springs Blvd.
Riverside, California - (909) 697-5220