ML081980710

C2-WHC 2005 - Site Assessment and Wildlife Management Opportunities Report for Exelon Corporation'S Three Mile Island Generating Station. October

ML081980710
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	04/03/2008
From:	Wildlife Habitat Council
To:	Exelon Corp, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
5928-08-20078
Download: ML081980710 (66)

Text

WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCII.: M SITE ASSESSMENT AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES REpORT FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION Report submitted to:

THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION EXELON CORPORATION Londonderry Township, Pennsylvania Report submitted by:

WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 800 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 USA Phone: (301) 588-8994 Fax: (301) 588-4629 E-mail: whc@wildlifehc.org Internet: www,wildlifehc.org

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY

VIII

1. OVERVIEW 1 1.1 SITE VISIT 2 1.2 SITE DESCRIPTION , 2 1.3 SITE HISTORY AND COMMUNITY BACKGROUND 6

2. BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT OF THE THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION 12 2.1.1 Description qfEcoregion 14 2.1.2 Watershed Description 18 2.1.3 Climatic Conditions 22 2.1.4 Soil Conditions 23 2.1.5 Ecological Communities Described On Site 24 2.1.5.1 Forested Riparian Buffer Habitats 25 2.1.5.2 Seasonal Wetland Habitats 26 2.1.5.3 Woodland Habitats 27 2.1.5.4 Early Successional Grassland, Meadow and Old-Field Habitats 32 2.1.6 Species to Consider Before Formulating Management Plans 35 2.1.6.1 Identify and Manage Non-Native, Exotic, Invasive and Nuisance Species 35 2.1.6.1.1 General Management Options for Controlling Invasive Species 38 2.1.6.1.1.1 Physical Control Methods 38 2.1.6.1.1.2 Chemical Controls 40 2.1.6.1.1.3 Biological Controls 41 2.1.6.2 Avian Habitat Management Considerations .42 2.1.6.2.1 Wetland Bird Habitat Enhancement and Conservation Options .43 2.1.6.2.1.1 Herons 46 2.1.6.2.2 Considerations for Forest-Dwelling and Cavity-Nesting Birds 51 2.1.6.2.2.1 Potential Wood Duck Management Options 53 2.1.6.2.2.2 Potential Eastern Bluebird Management Options 53 2.1.6.2.3 Raptor Habitat Management Options 54 2.1.6.2.3.1 Potential Bald Eagle Habitat Management Tips 56 2.1.6.2.3.2 Potential Osprey Habitat Management Tips 58 2.1.6.2.3.3 Potential Peregrine Falcon Management Tips 60 2.1.6.3 Bat Habitat Management Options 62 2.1.6.4 Pollinator Habitat Management Options 66 2.1.6.5 Herptile Habitat Management Options 72 2.1.6.5.1 Spotted Turtle 76 2.2 PLANTS AND WILDLIFE IDENTIFIED AT THE THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION 77 2.3 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES 79 2.3.1 Identify Endangered, Threatened, and Candidate Species 83 2.3.2 Develop Agreementsfor Listed or Candidate Species if Identified On Site 83 2.3.2.1 Safe Harbor Agreements 84 WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005 I iii

SITEAssESSMENTAND WIWLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREEMILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURES, PHOTOS AND TABLES FIGURES FIGURE 1. OVERVIEW OF THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION 1 FIGURE 2. HISTORICAL MAp OF TOWNSHIPS WITHIN DAUPHIN COUNTY, P A 7 FIGURE 3. CURRENT MAp OF DAUPHIN COUNTY, DELINEATING TOWNSHIPS 9 FIGURE 4. MAp DEPICTING RANGE OF ECOREGION AT THE THREE MILE ISLAND 13 FIGURE 5. SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN AND SUB-BASINS MAp 19 FIGURE 6. LOWER SUSQUEHANNA SUB-BASIN MAp 21 FIGURE 7. BALD EAGLE DISTRIBUTION WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA 57 FIGURE 8. OSPREY DISTRIBUTION WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA 59 FIGURE 9. PEREGRINE FALCON NEST Box DIAGRAM 61 FIGURE 10. BAT SPECIES DISTRIBUTION AROUND DAUPHIN COUNTY 65 FIGURE 11. TURTLES USING BASKING LOG 73 PHOTOS PHOTO 1. SHORELINE / RIPARIAN BUFFER HABITAT AT THREE MILE ISLAND .4 PHOTO 2. OSPREY NEST ON TOWER AT THREE MILE ISLAND 5 PHOTO 3. YOUNG SASSAFRAS, A COMMON TREE IN P A FORESTS 11 PHOTO 4. EASTERN Box TuRTLE 25 PHOTO 5. GREAT BLUE HERON IN GRASSLAND HABITAT .48 PHOTO 6. GREAT EGRET 50 PHOTO 7 BALD EAGLE 56 PHOTO 8. OSPREY NEST 59 PHOTO 10. GREAT SPANGLED FRITILLARy 66 PHOTO 11. ApPALACHIAN BROWN 67 TABLES TABLE 1. NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS AND THEIR WILDLIFE VALUES 30 TABLE 2. NATIVE PLANTS FOR GRASSLAND AND FIEW HABITATS 34 TABLE 3. INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES IN PENNSYLVANIA 37 TABLE 4. BIRD SPECIES IN PENNSYLVANIA THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH WETLANDS .44 TABLE 5. GREAT BLUE HERON HABITAT PREFERENCES .49 TABLE 6. EXAMPLES OF CAVITY NESTING BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA 52 TABLE 7. COMMON BIRDS OF PREY IN PENNSYLVANIA 55 TABLE 8. BATS COMMON IN PENNSYLVANIA 63 TABLE 9. BUTTERFLIES OF DAUPHIN COUNTY 68 TABLE 10. BUTTERFLIES OF DAUPHIN COUNTY AND POTENTIAL FOOD SOURCES 70 TABLE 11. PENNSYLVANIA NATIVE REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN SPECIES 74 TABLE 12. PLANTS AND ANIMALS IDENTIFIED AT THE THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATINGS TATION 78 TABLE 13.

SUMMARY

OF THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES IN PENNSYLVANIA 80 TABLE 14. TI-IREATENED, ENDANGERED, AND SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN IN P A 80 WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005 Iv

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION APPENDICES ApPENDIX I. INFORMATION SOURCES ApPENDIX II. ECOREGION INFORMATION ApPENDIX III. CONTACT INFORMATION ApPENDIX IV. CERTIFICATION INFORMATION A. Wildlife Management Plan Guidelines B. Sample Management Plan C. WHC Certification Application D. WHC Certification and Credibility E. WHC Coporale Landsftr Learning Program Certification Application F. Description of Application Items for Coporale Landsftr Learning Certification G. Criteria for the Coporale Landsftr Learning Certification by the Wildlife Habitat Council H. The Coporale Landsfor Learning of the Year Award Selection Criteria

1. Pollinator Friendly Practices Registration Form J. North American Pollinator Protection Campaign, Pollinator Friendly Practices K. Community Partner of the Year Nomination Form L. The Corporate Habitat of the Year and Rookie of the Year Awards Criteria ApPENDIXV. HABITAT MANAGEMENT SERIES A. N est Monitoring B. Site Inventory C. Cavity nesting species D. Grassland Birds E. Butterflies F. Bats G. WoodDuck H. Osprey

1. Eastern Bluebird WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005 I vii

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION To assist in the development of a biodiversity assessment and wildlife habitat management plan, representatives from the Three Mile Island Generating Station invited a WHC biologist to visit the site on August 18,2005. This report, Site Assessment and Wildlife Management Opportunities for Exelon Corporation's Three Mile Island Generating Station, was created with information compiled from the site visit, discussions with employees, and independent research. It is intended to present and outline historical and current information pertaining to the ecological communities at the Three Mile Island Generating Station, focusing on a review of critical habitats and species on site, while outlining opportunities for future enhancement recommendations that are designed to augment food, water, cover, and space resources - the four basic components species require from their habitat. The Wildlife Team may choose to implement some or all of d1ese projects and is furthermore encouraged to explore additional habitat enhancement opportunities. Projects suggested for the Three Mile Island Station Wildlife Team members to consider in the future include:

III Identifying and managing any invasive, exotic species on site,

• Enhancing riparian buffer habitats for native wildlife species, especially migratory birds III Erecting and monitoring nest boxes for cavity nesting avian and mammal species,

• Erecting additional perches on site for nesting osprey, peregrine falcons, and other birds of prey,

• Conducting surveys and necessary enhancements for native amphibian and reptile species that may utilize seasonal wedands on site,

• Considering establishing native grassland and wildflower meadows just outside the gates, in old field habitats on site,

• Continuing efforts to improve habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms, and including more intensive monitoring and evaluation of efforts to improve the overall health of the Susquehanna River.

The Three Mile Island Generating Station will be eligible to apply for Habitat Program Certification with WHC once habitat enhancements have been implemented and monitored for at least one year. WHC's Corporate Wildlife Habitat Certification/International Accreditation program is designed to recognize exceptional corporate wildlife habitat programs and supply third-party credibility for environmental stewardship. As WHC certification review procedures are rigorous, the Three Mile Island Generating Station Wildlife Team is advised to keep textual and photographic documentation of site habitat enhancement projects and public outreach programs in order to increase the site's prospects for certification.

Wildlife habitat enhancement, employee participation, and public outreach are the primary objectives of the Wildlife at Work program. WHC is confident that employees at the Three Mile Island Generating Station can achieve these goals through the development of a wildlife habitat management plan and the implementation of the proposed enhancement projects.

The staff of the Wildlife Habitat Council commends employees at the Three Mile Island Generating Station for their demonstrated commitment to protecting biodiversity and improving site wildlife habitat through the implementation of a team-designed wildlife management plan and anticipates the formation of a sustained association with site participants. Please contact Sue Wolinsky or WHC staff with inquiries regarding the wildlife WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005 I ix

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION

1. OVERVIEW WHC requires a site visit by a staff wildlife biologist prior to recommending a habitat management plan. The purpose of the site visit is to accurately assess the current habitat conditions of the site and to subsequendy determine which habitat enhancement projects would be most appropriate for these particular conditions in accordance with management objectives. Therefore, it is standard procedure during the site visit that the visiting WHC biologist meets with company personnel to ascertain the objectives of the site's wildlife program and to present initial habitat enhancement opportunities. This overview contains the proceedings of the site visit, as well as a detailed site description and review of local area history. Figure 1 provides a black and white aerial photograph of the island, which clearly oudines the facilities and development at Three Mile Island.

FIGURE 1. OVERVIEW OF THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION Photo courtesy of USGS.

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SITE ASSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE AfANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION based events, including the :Middletown Music Festival, Conoy Township Youth Athletic Association, Children's :Miracle Network, Hershey Girls Softball, several area fire companies and emergency services departments, and the American Red Cross.

The plant's has two reactors, one that is not owned by Exelon Corporation, the infamous Unit 2, which suffered a partial meltdown in 1979, and the reactor that is owned by Exelon Corporation, Unit 1. Exelon Corporation owns all of the land surrounding the Unit 2 reactor, as well as some adjacent island property, although the exact acreage of ownership was not precisely known during the time of the visit. Unit 1 lies just north of Unit 2, which is non-operational. The Nuclear license for Unit 2 is held by the General Public Utilities Corporation, which is owned by First Energy Nuclear Company.

The site tour started just outside the cafeteria and office complex area, where the group viewed a basin that is used for dredge storage. The basin holds spoil that is removed from the intake canal; -

which is dredged every two to three years. Tpygroup then passed the intake structure, which is on the west side of the island. In addition, th~ group viewed old equipment storage areas, an administration building and an area near the gate that is the construction site of a new security checkpoint. The perimeter of the facility property is fenced, andthe group's main focus was to view the undeveloped portions of the ishtnd, which are at the southern end of the site, outside of the fenced perimeter. The central portion of the island, where some operational facilities are located, is slightly above the site's ten-year floodplain, however, a majority of the southern portion of the island, where the undeveloped portions of the site are, are within the zone that would be inundated during a ten year storm event. Water levels surrounding the site, and within the island's wetlands, vary seasonally.

Outside of the gates, areas consisted mainly of open field habitat with foxtail grasses, which are bordered by tree and shrub bufferlands. Species noted in the area included blackberry, basswood, sycamore, sweetgum and locust trees. Another spoils area is adjacent to this open field and wooded buffer portion of the property. The group advanced on foot through this area, taking note of borrow pits, a wet meadow, and tree and shrub habitats, by way of an old road. The area receives little landscaping and/or regular maintenance, although roads are maintained and used WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005 I3

SITEAsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE AfANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION continued along gravel roads and on perimeter roads, all of which featured a combination of old field habitat, which has been left to the processes of natural succession, and woodland buffer areas that feature a diversity of trees and shrubs. There is a fish ladder monitoring facility behind a fence on one side of the island, which is typically staffed by state employees during the spawning season. The group also reviewed an old landfill that currently serves as meadow habitat and lies adjacent to the operating towers. Following a tour of the habitats on site and an outside view of the reactors and towers, the group met with a Pennsylvania Department of the Environment employee in front of the site, where he regularly monitors the activity of nesting osprey and/or peregrine falcons. After a quick view of the nesting spot on top of the tower, which can be seen in Photo 2, the group concluded the site tour and assessment meeting.

PHOTO 2. OSPREY NEST ON TOWER AT THREE MILE ISLAND Photo courtesy of Sue Wolinsky, WHC Wildlife Biologist/Certification Program Manager.

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SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURE 2. HISTORICAL MAP OF TOWNSHIPS WITHIN DAUPHIN COUNTY, PA Map courtesy of USGS.

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SITEAsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURE 3. CURRENT MAP OF DAUPHIN COUNTY, DELINEATING TOWNSHIPS Map courtesy of USGS.

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SITEAsSESSMENT AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION between October and December in this area. This conservation area also features over ten miles of trails, and an active environmental education and interpretation program.

The Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area, the other local state-managed conservation area near Three Mile Island, consists of approximately 350 acres on Peters Mountain, near Matamoras, Pennsylvania. This conservation area was donated to the state in 1962, creating the state's first conservation area in the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks. This conservation area consists of hardwood forests that remain largely unfragmented, providing critical habitat for a variety of forest-dependant and associated species. In addition, this conservation area, like most in Pennsylvania, is open to hunting, and provides ideal habitat for a variety of game species. Trails in this park link to the section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through the county. Common species in the park, as reported by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), include red, black and scarlet oaks, white and Virginia pine, tuliptree, eastern hemlock, basswood, black walnut, black locust, wild cherry, sassafras, beech and birch trees; This conservation area also features a wide variety of environmental education opportunities and interpretive programs.

PHOTO 3. YOUNG SASSAFRAS, A COMMON TREE IN PA FORESTS Photo courtesy of Sue Wolinsky, WHC Wildlife Biologist/Certification Program Manager.

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SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE 1IfANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURE 4. MAP DEPICTING RANGE OF ECOREGION AT THE THREE MILE ISLAND Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station presented in an ecoregion context Miles o 5 10 20 30 40 Legend **

Bailey's Ecoregions PROVINCE Central Appalachian Broadleaf Forest-Coniferous Forest-M eadow Province Eastern Broadleaf Forest (Oceanic) Province Laurentian Mixed Forest Province Outer Coastal Plain Mixed ForestProvince Map courtesy ofJosiane Bonneau, WHC Wildlife Biologist.

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SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION tuliptree, hemlock, pines, and basswood. American chestnuts, decimated by blight from an introduced fungus, were also common in this region. In addition, spruce-fir forests and meadows are on the high peaks of the Allegheny and Great Smokey Mountains. The distribution and density of vegetation through this Province depends ultimately on soils and elevation characteristics at the local level.

The ecoregion, coupled with the adjacent Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province, has relatively high species richness. Species richness throughout the region is further accentuated due to the presence of several regionally unique ecosystems, which are a function of elevation and soil condition. According to information available through the Island Press and World Wildlife Foundation, "a number of plants, invertebrates, salamanders, crayfish, freshwater mussels and fish are restricted to single watersheds or peaks due to millions of years of isolation and favorable conditions." There are over 158 tree species throughout the Province, placing the Appalachian-Blue Ridge Forests among the natl0n's most florally diverse ecoregions. The southern limit of many northern forest mammals occurs within this Province. There are over 225 terrestrial invertebrates within the ecoregion. In addition, the province has a high diversity and abundance of amphibians; there are over 30 different species of salamander living in the southern Appalachians, more than in any other part of North America. Breeding birds in the region are dominated by a variety of neo-tropical migratory species, which rely on varying stages of natural forest succession that characterize the area.

Unfortunately, scientists have reported that over 80 percent of the habitat throughout this ecoregion has been altered by development. The areas most heavily impacted by this development have been unique lowland and valley habitats, as many low-lying sites in the region were converted for agricultural purposes. Increases in urban and suburban development have also altered many of the lower lying portions of this ecoregion. Conversion of land to agricultural use is less common in areas of higher elevation, although many of the region's ridge top locations have been, and still are, actively logged. Only a few blocks and patches of unlogged forest habitat remain, although there are larger forested blocks in the Great Smoky Mountains. In addition, second growth forests that have recovered, or are protected, from logging provide habitat opportunities for native species in the region, though they often lack the structural and species diversity of the forests that characterize the region. One example of managed re-growth forests can bee seen in the acreage WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005115

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE :MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION more intensively integrated into local management practices in order to protect the forests understory vegetation.

One example of regional restoration work can be found when exa11J11Ung the native speCIes restoration programs that Exelon Corporation participates in along the Susquehanna River and Conowingo Pool. According to information available* from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, "American shad were once a thriving and vital resource in the Susquehanna River Basin. During their peak in the 1800s, they numbered up to several hundred thousand fish each year." American shad are an anadromous fish that begin life in the river and its many tributaries, and then migrate to spend their adult lives in the Atlantic Ocean. They then return to the rivers and streams in which they originated in order to spawn. Over time, the effects of water pollution and physical stream barriers impeded this natural migration process. In 2004 the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, an organization that has monitored and assessed the conditions of the river and tributaries in the basin since being established in the early 1970s, designed a program-called the Susquehanna Shad SchooL' Connecting Students and Shad "to educate teachers and students on the importance of restoring American shad and other migratory species to the Susquehanna River Basin."

Partners in the restoration program include the Commission, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland State Department of Education, Maryland Sea Grant Extension Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the organization American Rivers and Exelon Corporation and one of its subsidiaries, Susquehanna Electric Company. As part of the program, students at two Maryland schools, North Harford High School and Perryville Middle School, will raise American shad in classroom aquariums from eggs to the fry stage. Then the juvenile shad will be released into local waterways, including Deer Creek. Additionally, as part of the program, students will study the shad lifecycle, tour fish passage operations and a spawning tank at the Conowingo Hydroelectric Dam, as well as visit a dam on Deer Creek that has been deemed fit for removal and learn about the benefits of dam removal to the shad lifecycle.

According to information from Exelon Corporation employees, the Conowingo Station has operated a fish lift to assist migratory species in their journeys upstream since the 1970s. "In 2003, Exelon celebrated the one-millionth American shad safely delivered into the Conowingo Pond WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005117

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURE 5. SUSQUEHANNA RIvER BASIN AND SUB-BASINS MAP WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005119

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE hfANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURE 6. LOWER SUSQUEHANNA SUB-BASIN MAP Map courtesy of the SRBC.

Protection of the Susquehanna River watershed has been a priority and concern to many citizens of Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, including statewide and regional agencies, municipalities and local associations. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been charged with the development of a comprehensive plan to incorporate interests and initiatives in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin. Phase I of studies required to develop the plan were initiated in 2000, and focuses on all or part of Perry, Dauphin, Lebanon, Cumberland, Franklin, Adams, York and WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005121

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE 1IfANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION Average annual temperatures in this region reportedly range from below 50° Fahrenheit in the north and at higher elevations, to over 60° Fahrenheit in more southerly portions of the ecoregion.

Precipitation in the province generally measures between 35 inches to over 80 inches in the highest mountain peaks, with there typically being regular, measurable precipitation year-round.

Snowfall in Pennsylvania is regularly over 24 inches, and this figure increases southward along the ridge tops to a regular accumulation of over 30 inches in the Great Smoky Mountains. Southeast and southward facing slopes are generally warmer and drier than northwest and north-facing slopes.

2.1.4 Soil Conditions There are eleven major soil groups recognized in the world soil classification system that are characterized, described and mapped based on the presence or absence of distinctive horizons, or layers, commonly present in the soil for any given location. Alfisols, ultisols and inceptisols are the two predominant soil orders common in the Appalachian-Blue Ridge Forest Ecoregion and Central Appalachian Broadleaf Forest - Coniferous Forest - Meadow Province. Alfisols are predominant beneath deciduous forests within the Humid Temperate Domain. In addition, alfisols reportedly make up approximately 13.4 percent of the land area within the United States and are most often found within croplands and forests in the region. Alfisols are common throughout the Midwest, in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan; however, they are also found in a narrow belt east of the Mississippi River, where they formed in loess, or silt.

Alfisols are generally described as moderately weathered, with a medium to high base of soil saturation. Ultisols, characterized by the presence of an argillic or kandic horizon, are most extensive in warm, humid climates. Most of the ultisols in the United States had coniferous and/or hardwood forest vegetation at the time of settlement. Inceptisols are considered a more complex soil order, and have several varying diagnostic horizons. However, unlike ultisols, inceptisols do not have an argillic or kandic horizon. Inceptisols generally range from poorly drained to excessively drained, and often occur in proximity to mountain ranges. In addition to being located along the divisions of these major soil types, according to old soil surveys, Dauphin County bedrock materials are of the Triassic Age, Gettysburg Formation. This formation is underlain by red shales, silty mudstone and gray shales.

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SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION PHOTO 4. EASTERN Box TURTLE Photo courtesy of Sue Wolinsky, WHC Wildlife Biologist/Certification Program Manager.

2.1.5.1 Forested Riparian Buffer Habitats Riparian areas are the transition zones between a creek, stream, or river and an upland, and are crucial to maintaining overall creek, stream, or river health. A well-vegetated stream bank will act as a buJfer between the river and upland areas, decreasing both the velocity of floodwater, downstream flooding and peaks, and surface run-off. Wet-soil plants including grasses, shrubs, wildflowers, and trees act as vegetative buffer strips around water bodies. Plants function to stabilize the soil banks, allowing for less erosion and consequently, less water turbidity. Fast-growing species such as willows are especially effective for erosion control, and can have high wildlife value. Deep-rooting grasses contribute to the root mat and absorb nutrients; warm-season grasses in particular have very deep root systems that extend three to twelve feet below the surface. Additionally, vegetation slows overland runoff, buffering surface water pollution.

Riparian buffer areas are also important for both in-stream and terrestrial wildlife communities. A high-quality stream bank provides valuable habitat for a distinct community of species including a WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL ocroBER200s125

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION the removal, transformation, and detention of various environmental pollutants, provide critical habitat to a variety of resident and migratory wildlife species, and wetlands often serve to connect various ecosystems. Even wetlands smaller than one acre in size have the ability to support an abundance of wildlife, particularly waterfowl, amphibian, and fish species. Wetland ecosystems also provide humans with educational and recreational opportunities, open space, and aesthetic enjoyment. Wetland communities identified at the Three Mile Island Generatirig Station include riparian forest buffers, which are described in the previous section, and seasonally wet areas.

Seasonally wet portions of the site, also termed ephemeral or vernal pools, are located in the southwestern portion of the island and in the commonly wet areas of the meadow, which served as a spoil-storage area. Vernal pools are depressions in the earth that fill with water in the spring or rainy season and dry out by summer's end (making them distinct from ponds, which remain full). These wetlands, referred to by some as ephemeral wetlands, are critical habitat for many aquatic macroinvertebrates,such as mosquito-controlling dragonflies, and amphibians. These species thrive in this environment largely because vernal pools are unable to support fish, which feed on the eggs and larvae of amphibians and invertebrates. Seasonally wet areas have, however, become a vanishing natural feature due to land development, thus contributing to the alarming decline of frog and salamander populations. WHC suggest that the managers at Three Mile Island monitor and protect the seasonal wetlands on site, adding basking structures and hibernacula as necessary.

2.1.5.3 Woodland Habitats There are several portions of the Three Mile Island Generating Station property that feature tree and shrub habitats. Patches of woodland habitats help to provide habitat for a number of southeastern Pennsylvania's native wildlife species, especially when linked to existing conservation and natural areas. The wildlife species attracted to small segments of forest, tree and shrub thickets and scrubby woodland edge habitats have specific food, cover and vegetative species composition requirements that are different that those of large-tract forestland habitats, and different than those of grassland and wetland dependent species. In addition, these habitat "islands' of woods also provide habitat for migratory species when effectively linked to other forested corridors and stream courses.

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SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION In addition, avian species like eastern towhee and woodcock are in the decline due to the loss of shrub, thicket and scrub habitats and brushy wetland border habitats. According to the DCNR, "Pennsylvania is one of the most important states in the northeastern region in supporting large populations of forest species, including some that are undergoing region-wide declines." The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, in cooperation with the PA DCNR and USDA, directs the Pennsylvania forest stewardship plan and incentive program, which is made possible through the Farm Bill. This program provides forest stewardship "information, education and technical assistance to encourage, assist and recognize private forest landowners who keep their lands and natural resources productive and healthy."

To participate in the program, interested land managers are encouraged to contact state Bureau of Forestry representatives to initiate a partnership. Practices encouraged through stewardship incentive programs include stewardship plan development, reforestation, forest improvement, soil ~

and water resource protection and improvement, riparian and wetland protection and improvement, fisheries habitat enhancement, overall wildlife habitat enhancement and forest recreation enhancement. The following techniques have been approved for technical assistance and cost-share practices under the program, with relation to improvement of wildlife habitat; planting permanent cover with high wildlife value, creating forest openings, controlling undesirable plant species, thinning forested areas, establishing and improving water resources, constructing artificial cavities, next boxes, rooting platforms or poles, creating snags, installing tree shelters, fertilizing, fencing and establishing, protecting or improving endangered or threatened species and their habitats. Contact information for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry is provided in Appendix III.

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SITEAsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION

~ Height/

Width Conditions Wildlife Value Highbush Moist, well-drained soil, sun-6-12'/8-12' Used heavily by grouse / songbirds.

blueberry shade.

Mapleleaf Range of soil and light 4-6'/3-4' Used by birds, squirrel and deer.

viburnum conditions.

Arrowwood 6-8'/6-15' Well-drained soils, good hedge. Used by birds, squirrel and deer.

virburnum Nannyberry 9-18'/6-10' Wide range of conditions. Used by birds, squirrel and deer.

Blackhaw 9-15'/8-12' Many soil types, sun or shade. Used by birds, squirrel and deer.

viburnum American 8-12' Well-drained, moist soils. Used by birds, squirrel and deer.

cranberry Eastern redbud 20-30'/25-25' Moist, well-drained soils, sun. Limited wildlife value.

White 12-10' Moist, fertile soils, full sun. Limited wildlife value.

fringetree Flowering Well-drained soil, full sun to 20'/15-20' Important food for songbirds.

dogwood shade.

Franklin tree 10-20'/6-15' Moist, acidic well-drained soils. Limited wildlife value.

Carolina Rich, moist, well-drained acid Limited value, seeds used by some 30~40' /25":25' silverbell soils. birds.

Common 15-20' Moist soil, sun to partial shade. Limited wildlife value.

witchhazel American holly Moist, well-drained soil, sun- Food/cover used extensively by 15-30'/18-25' shade. songbirds.

Sourwood Peat, moist, acidic, well-25-30'/20' Limited wildlife value.

drained soils.

Mountain ash Fruit valuable winter food for 10-30'/10-15' Adaptable to many soil types.

songbirds.

Mountain Moist, acidic soil, full sun to 10-15' Limited wildlife value.

stewartia shade.

Red maple Flowers and buds food for 40-60' Slightly acidic, moist soil.

mammals /birds Silver maple Flowers and buds food for 50-70'/40-50' Tolerant of many soil types.

mammals /birds Sugar maple Flowers and buds food for 60-70'/20-40' Shade tolerant, moist soils.

mammals /birds Sweet birch 40-55'/35-45' Deep, rich, acid, moist soils. Foliage used by browsers, birds.

River birch 40-70'/40-60' Moist soil conditions. Foliage used by browsers, birds.

Shagbark Woodland border tree, varied Important food source for mammals 60-80'/40-60' hickory soils. and several kinds of birds.

Common Rich, moist soil; will tolerate Fruit important, especially for winter 40-60' hackberry dry. birds.

Persimmon Rich, moist soil; will tolerate 35-60'/20-35' Fruit used by mammals and songbirds.

dry.

American Moist soil, full sun to part 50-70' Nuts eaten by birds and mammals.

beech shade.

WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005131

SITE ASSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION If left to follow the course of succession without the controlling forces of fire, mowing or other disturbance, it will take a meadow habitat approximately 150 years to progress into a mature forest.

Grassland and meadow habitats in this region evolved as a result of routine intentional and accidental fires, which were common throughout the ecoregion. During springtime, the dominant meadow and grassland species in Pennsylvania are cool season grasses such as Timothy, fescue, orchardgrass, rye and bluegrass. These grasses are not native to the area, and have been historically planted by farmers and homeowners for a variety of reasons such as animal forage, aesthetics and for immediate erosion control. Cool season grasses are most prolific between April and June, and begin to die back in late June and early July.

Following the dieback of these non-natives, native warm season grasses and wildflowers are permitted to grow when present in the seed bank. Native warm season grasses such as Indian grass, broom sedge, switchgrass and bluestems dominate the landscape between July and late

'October. In .addition, these' bunch-forming grasses remain standing, providing' cover resources, through the winter. Their deep-penetrating root systems, sometimes in excess of five feet, have immense soil holding capabilities. In addition, native warm season grasses increase soil fertility overtime due to their ability to regenerate root systems and contribute humus to the soil. Beside grasses, native wildflowers of varying heights, colors and densities experience active growing and blooming periods throughout the summer and fall seasons as well. Wildflowers common to southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Three Mile Island Generating site, include black-eyed Susan, goldenrod, sunflower and aster.

In addition to being beneficial to soil structure and aesthetically pleasing, native warm season grass and wildflower habitats provide significant wildlife benefits. Warm season grasses provide optimal habitat for grassland birds, especially when compared to the cover offered by cool season grasses.

Many cool season grasses are sod forming, and therefore limit the ability of wildlife species to seek cover and food resources. Grassland nesting birds will utilize grassland, meadow and field habitats that offer native warm season grasses in the springtime for nesting and brood rearing activities.

Young birds depend on the insect-attracting abilities of native grasses and wildflowers for food; during autumn, a diversity of wildlife rely on the seeds generated by these natives. During winter months, resident wildlife populations seek food and shelter in the cover offered by natives. In addition to food and cover benefits for native avian and small mammal species, these habitats WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER200s133

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION Period and Color s Bee balm 2 to 5' Jul-Aug / red Important pollinator plant PWox 1 to 5' May-Oct / purple, pink, blue Important pollinator plant Mayapple 1 to 2' May / white Ground cover, edible fruit Solomon's seal 1 to 3' Apr-Jun / yellow Edible, blue berries, birds Black eyed-Susan 2 to 3' May-Sept / yellow, orange Long bloom, insects Golden ragwart 1 to 2' May-Jul / yellow Wetland plant, insects Goldenrod 2 to 6' Jul-Nov / yellow Pollinators, other insects New Yark ironweed 3 to 6' Jul-Sept / purple, blue Pollinators, other insects Golden Alexanders 1 to 2' Apr-Jun / gold Pollinators, other insects Big bluestem 3 to 5' Jun-Sept Clump forming, winter cover Lurid sedge 1 to 2' Jun-Oct Wetland plant, seeds eaten Bottlebrush grass 2 to 4' Jun-Aug Shade-tolerant native grass Riverbank wild rye 3 to 5' Jul-Sept Stream side native grass Virginia wild rye 2 to 4' Jul-Sept Grass tolerant of many soils Switchgrass 3 to 6' Aug-Sept Erosion control benefits Little bluestem 2 to 4' Jul-Sept Important winter cover Indian rass 3 to 6' Au -Se t Clum formin rass 2.1.6 Species to Consider Before Formulating Management Plans 2.1.6.1 Identify and Manage Non-Native, Exotic, Invasive and Nuisance Species Invasive plant species are one of the greatest threats to the world's biodiversity, and the issue of controlling them has become a priority for the scientific community. Several federal acts, such as the Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974 and the Alien Species Prevention and Enforcement Act of 1992, have been passed to direct the control of invasives. In 1999, President Clinton signed Executive Order 13112 to address the challenge that inv~sive species present to the nation's environment and economy, and to create an Invasive Species Council.

While native species are those that have naturally and historically been found in a particular locale, Executive Order 13112 defines invasive species as those species not native, or exotic, to a particular ecosystem that, upon introduction, are "likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health". Species are introduced in a variety of ways to areas in which they do not historically occur. Some have been introduced intentionally for ornamental or commercial use; others have been accidentally brought from foreign countries because they were mistaken for native plants that are similar in appearance. The vast majority of plant species introduced from WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcroBER2005135

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION TABLE 3. INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES IN PENNSYLVANIA THREAT LEVEL IFICNAME Moderate Goutweed Aegopodiumpodagraria Fiveleaf akebia Akebia quinata Porcelain-berry Ampelopsis brevipedunculata Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii European barberry Berberis vulgaris Cheatgrass Bromus tectorum Russian olive Elaegnus angustifolia Dame's rocket Hesperis matronalis Moderate Border privet Ligustrum obtusifolium Common privet Ligustrum vulgare Bell's honeysuckle Lonicera morrowii ssp. tatarica Eurasian water-milfoil Myriop!?Jllum spicatum Star-of-BetWehem Omithogallum nutans Wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa Beefsteak plant Perillafrutescens Reed canary grass Phalaris arundinacea l--esser celandine Ranunculusjicaria Common buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus Glossy buckthorn Rhamnus trangula Wineberry Rubusphoenicolasius Siberian elm Ulmus pumila Serious Norway maple Acerplatanoides Tree-of-heaven Ailanthus altissima Garlic mustard Alliariapetiolata Musk thistle Carduus nutans Oriental bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus Canada thistle Cirsium arvense Bull thistle Cirsium vulgare Jimsonweed Datura stramonium Autumn olive Elaeagnus umbellate Goatsme Galega rflicinalis Giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazifanum Japanese honeysuckle Lonicerajaponica Amur honeysuclde Lonicera maackii Morrow's honeysuckle Lonicera morrowii Standish honeysuckle Lonicera standishii Tartarian honeysuckle Lonicera tartarica Purple loosestrife I:Ythrum salicaria virgatum Japanese stilt grass Microstegium viminem Common reed Phragmites australis Japanese knotweed Pofygonum cuspidatum Mile-a-minute vine Pofygonum petjOliatum Kudzu Pueraria lobata I

WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005 37

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION shrub species. The most important objective when employing physical removal methods to remove individual invasives species is to remove as much of the root structure as possible, as remaining material may allow the individual invasive to re-establish. Therefore, the degree of measurable success ill invasives control, when using the pulling or digging method, will depend on the thoroughness of individual plant removal.

Other physical control methods, such as cutting and mowing, can also be effective in limiting the growing space and resources available to invasive plants. These methods impose limited success in controlling invasives because the act of cutting and/or mowing will effectively remove the food-producing portion of individual plants, thereby limiting their ability to take over an area.

However, because root and stem portions of the plant remain, invasives will likely resprout and continue to spread with time. Therefore, cutting and mowing are most effective as control techniques when coupled with selectively applied chemical controls.

Cutting may be more effective because managers can selectively target invasive plants, while mowing will reduce the growing ability of all plants in an area. Cutting is reportedly most effective when attempting to control invasives in moderately to heavily wooded areas. This is because the surrounding woodland vegetation will assist control efforts by reducing the amount of resources available to the cut invasive. The cut plant will therefore need to rely on resources stored in the roots for repair and refoliation efforts, significantly weakening the plants ability to effectively spread for a period of time. Cutting is reportedly less effective in controlling invasives in open areas and edge habitats, where repeated cutting would be required to obtain minimal controls.

Cutting is most effective when performed in late fall and winter months. When including cutting as part of an invasive species management plan, managers are advised to plan on re-evaluating cut areas annually to assess the need for repeated control efforts.

Mowing is less selective, and will effectively put all plants in an area on an equal basis to compete for sunlight, water and other essential resources. The effectiveness of mowing is difficult to assess because individual plant species have differing growth rates and responses to disturbance.

Therefore, mowing will favor those species that are most prolific in refoliating and spreading quickly, which includes many invasive plants. Mowing can be an effective control, particularly when coupled with chemical controls, in open areas where manual plant removal is not an option.

WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005139

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION and used in conjunction with other physical or biological control methods, herbicides can be an essential component to an invasive species management plan.

To safely administer herbicides in an infested area, it is recommended that personnel fIrst remove as much of the aboveground plant material as possible before applying chemicals, unless the targeted species dictates a foliar application. To control small invasive trees, shrubs, and vines, fIrst cut stems and after about two weeks, apply an herbicide with glyphosate direcdy to the re-sprouting stems and/or stumps and monitor plants in the weeks to come. To eradicate individual, mature trees, cut the tree in the fall or winter and apply herbicide, such as RoundUp or Garlon, direcdy to the fresh cut stump. For control of invasive vegetation in larger, open areas, moderate infestations may be controlled through use of a broadleaf herbicide, such as Banvel or 2-4-D.

Severe large-scale infestations may require mowing coupled with herbicide application followed with plowing and discing and an additional herbicide application. If this intensive method is required to remove invasive plants, it will be important to quickly establish desirable, native plants following the last discing of the site in order to reduce the likelihood that invasives will successfully reestablish.

2.1.6.1.1.3 Biological Controls Biological controls involve the use of other living organisms to control invasive species, such as planting and interseeding native plants, or introducing biological control agents, such as insect pests, in an effort to control and manage invasive species for the long-term. For example, the planting of trees and shrubs to further vegetate wooded areas may help to effectively limit the availability of resources to invasive species in the area. In addition, the interseeding of meadows and fIelds with native grasses and wildflowers can help to out-compete the establishment and further spread of invasive vegetation. It is likely that this method, coupled with long term monitoring, cutting and mowing, can severely limit the impact of a moderate invasive species invasion over a few years time.

Furthermore, the immediate establishment of native plants immediately after physical or chemical removal methods will signifIcandy reduce the ability of an invasive species to resprout. Evergreen trees are reportedly especially effective in producing fast shade to reduce the ability of invasive plants to reestablish, particularly when planted along south and westward facing forest edges WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005141

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION extensive destruction to wedand ecosystems and to the native wading and nesting birds that they displace.

In Pennsylvania, the largest issue responsible for the decline of bird populations is extensive habitat loss and fragmentation, particularly within wedand habitats. According to research published by the Pennsylvania Biological Survey, since 1790, the state has lost 56 percent of all wedands, leading to significant decreases in the abundance and diversity of wedand birds throughout the state. Emergent wedands, such as marshes, bogs, are of particular importance to both migratory and resident avian species as foraging habitat. Species of special concern in the region include black-crowned night heron, bald eagle, yellow-bellied flycatcher, which all rely on a mix of forested and wedand habitats. Black-crowned night herons nest in trees on islands along lowland, bottomland streams and rivers. Bald eagles, which have been spotted on adjacent properties, prefer large-scale rivers and forested habitat with isolated tree cover and available snags. For more information n bald eagle habitat preservation and enhancement possibilities, see section 2.1.6.2.3.1.

2.1.6.2.1 Wetland Bird Habitat Enhancement and Conservation Options

Wedand birds provide us with some of nature's most wonderful sights, from vast flocks wheeling overhead to newly hatched chicks drying in the sun. Apart from their beauty and recreational and economic importance, these birds are excellent indicators of water quality and measures of biodiversity." - Milton W. Weller Wetland Birds Wedand habitat use is widespread among various types of wildlife, with some species exclusively utilizing wet areas and others preferring to frequent wedands for water resources, feeding and/or nesting activities. There is a wide range of wedand adaptations present in each of the various wedand bird species that frequent areas adjacent to and likely within the Three Mile Island Generating Station property. For example, wedand bird species have developed specialized bills, feet, legs, feathers, nesting and roosting strategies and dietary requirements that allow them to thrive in aquatic or semi-aquatic environments. It should be noted however that there is considerable variation between wedand bird species. For example, many birds that are typically associated with wedands, such as sandhill cranes, have also adapted to spend a great amount of I

WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005 43

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION COMMON NAME swan s American bittern Botaurus lentiginosus Black-crowned night heron Njcticorax '!)'cticoras Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis Great blue heron Ardea herodias Great egret Ardea alba Green-backed heron Butorides striatus Least bittern Ixobrychus exilis Little blue heron Egretta caerulea Snowy egret Egretta thula Yellow-crowned ni ht heron N ctanassa violacea Plover (Charadriidae) American golden plover Pluvialis dominica Black-bellied plover Pluvialis squatarola Killdeer Charadrius vociferous Semi almated lover Charadrius semi almatus Rail (Rallidae) American coot Fulica Americana Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus Sora Porzana Carolina Vir .rna rail Rallus limicola Sandpiper (Scolopacidae) American woodcock Scolopax minor Baird's sandpiper Calidris bairdii Buff-breasted sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Common snipe Gallinago gallinago Dunlin Calidris alpina Greater yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Least sandpiper Calidris minutilla Lesser yellowlegs Tringaflavipes Pectoral sandpiper Caladris melanotos Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres Sanderling Calidris alba Semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla Short-billed dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Solitary sandpiper Tringa solitaria Spotted sandpiper Actitis macularia Stilt sandpiper Calidris himantopus Upland sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Western sandpiper Calidris mauri White-rum ed sand er Calidris uscicollis The Three Mile Island Generating Station has the potential to support a diversity of wetland and terrestrial avian species that may include, osprey, cormorants, rails, coots, ducks, geese, egrets and herons. Several factors must be managed to ensure adequate habitat availability for these magnificent birds. Habitat needs for all birds include water for drinking and bathing, protective WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005145

SITEAssESSMENTAND WiLDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION cattle egrets will forage on the dry ground for grasshoppers and insects. For this reason it is important to maintain a diversity of water depths and vegetation zones in order to support nesting bird colonies. Federal and state laws regarding avian conservation protect Herons and other wetland birds; hp\Vever, all remain threatened by the loss of quality habitat. WHC suggests inventorying bird species at the site during breeding and nesting seasons and evaluating the diversity of vegetation, water depths and prey in order to maintain optimal conditions for wetland birds at the Thre~ Mile Island Generating Station.

2.1.6.2.1.1..1 Great Blue Heron The great blue heron is the largest of the dark herons and can reach over 38 inches long with a wingspan of 7CJ inches. Great blue herons nest throughout most of North America and winter in the south on in northern South America. This great blue heron is a year-round resident that has become increasingly common in southeastern Pennsylvania.. The great blue heron often nests in colonies of other herons.ancf wading birds such as egrets. Great blue herons are wading birds that exploit a va,tiety of wetland and even upland habitats and their statewide distribution is heavily dependent upon the availability of suitable habitat. Their diets include fish, insects, amphibians, snakes, small birds and rodents, although both seem to prefer feeding on large fish. These herons hunt in both saltwater and freshwater environments by taking slow and deliberate steps through shallow water, or standing in wait, with their heads hunched and beaks poised for catching prey.

I WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005 47

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDliFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION TABLE 5. GREAT BLUE HERON HABITAT PREFERENCES PREFERRED EXAMPLES OF ROOSTING AND PREFERRED PREY SHELTER TREES Bluegill American sycamore Yellow perch Black willow Bullfrog Common cattail Creek chub White oak Meadow vole Sweetgurn Five-lined skink Tuliptree Northern water snake Pickerelweed Wood frog Common reed Channel catfish Marsh bulrush Largemouth bass Eastern lamp mussel Crayfish Eastern mosquitofish 2.1.6.2.1.1..2 Gr~at Egret Egrets, which are diverse members of the heron family that are a common site throughout the Susquehanna River Basin, include snowy egrets, cattle egrets and great egrets. The word egret comes from the word aigrette, which is a French word referring to the downy, white breeding plumes of six species of white heron. These plumes were especially popular for decorating elegant hats during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The demand for the feathers was so high that at one point the feathers from four birds would be worth twice the same weight in gold.

This, coupled with the long felt effects of DDT, contributed to a serious decline in egret populations until strict conservation measures were enforced. Because egrets are in the same family as the dark herons discussed above, it is not surprising that they share a great deal of the same characteristics and adaptations.

WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005149

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE ~AGEMENTOPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION

'heron, ibises and anhingas. Their diets consist mainly of fish and other aquatic organisms; however, if fish are not available they may hunt in upland areas for amphibians, reptiles and small mammals. The great egret may also inhabit deeper water habitats that offer ample food resources.

Great egrets typically begin nesting in southeast Pennsylvania during mid sptlng, and typically construct nests in the joints of tree branches or on platforms that occur about ten feet above the ground or water. While that is the average height of nest construction, individual nests may be constructed within a range of five to over 40- feet above the ground or water. Great egrets normally lay between three and four light blue or green eggs, although they may lay as many as six eggs that require about a month to incubate. Young great egrets are prepared to leave the nest after about two months.

2.1.6.2.2 Considerations for Forest-Dwelling and Cavity-Nesting Birds In Pennsylvania, birds associated with deciduous forest habitats and shrub lands are considered to_

be in relatively stable populations, as least when compared to the practices of massive deforestation that were common in the 19 th Century. However, birds associated with conifer forests and associated peat and swamplands have suffered serious declines. There have been some efforts towards the recovery of bird species common in conifer and pearland habitat types, although they have not been as successful as those undertaken in deciduous habitat areas.

However, ongoing forest management practices will likely continue to favor species of early successional forests rather than those sensitive species that require more mature, old growth forests.

Changes in land management objectives will continue to shape the landscape, and therefore influence avian species populations and the diversity that each habitat can support. Exelon's Three Mile Island Generating Station can help preserve, protect and enhance avian species and the resources that they depend on in a variety of ways, including through the placement of artificial nesting structures, roosting platforms, perches and poles, establishment of native vegetation with high wildlife values, improvement of water resources on site and through continued education regarding avian species habitat requirements and individual importance. If employees at the Three Mile Island Generating Station opt to establish and monitor nest boxes at the site, WHC WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCJOBER20051S1

SITEAsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE lI1ANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION 2.1.6.2.2.1 Potential Wood Duck Management Options A favorite among bird watchers, wood ducks (Aix sponsa) are found throughout the eastern half of the United States, as well as along the Pacific coast and in southern Canada. While their numbers are now increasing due to habitat protection and restoration activities, unregulated hunting and the loss of their preferred woodland and wetland habitat decimated wood duck populations in the early 1900s.

WHC recommends that the Three Mile Island Generating Station wildlife team consider erecting wood duck nesting boxes in the wooded riparian areas on site in the future. Nest boxes should be placed at least 600 feet apart and out of the direct sight of other wood duck boxes, as seeing another wood duck entering or leaving a nest may stimulate a female wood duck to lay eggs in the other female's already full nest. Consequently, some of the eggs may fail to hatch, or worse, the incubating female may abandon the nest altogether. Boxes should be mounted 12 to 20 feet above ground and 30 to 150' feet from the shorelirle:'Iristalfing conical predator guards 6 to 12 inches from the bottom of each duck box will help prevent predation.

Wood duck boxes should be monitored once a month during the breeding season, to document any evidence of predation and presence of nestlings. Boxes may remain out during the winter season to provide winter cover sites for other animals, but should be cleaned out prior to the start of the nesting season. More information on wood ducks, how to build wood duck nest boxes, and predator guards can be found in the Wood Duck leaflet in Appendix V of this report.

2.1.6.2.2.2 Potential Eastem Bluebird Management Options The distinctive eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) is a common species of the eastern United States.

Bluebird nests are typically built in natural cavities, but competitive pressure from aggressive avian species, including non-native English house sparrows and European starlings, has reduced nest site availability. Habitat destruction, particularly the removal of snags has also negatively impacted bluebird populations. The Three Mile Island Generating Station can participate in restoring local eastern bluebird populations by constructing nest boxes on site. The placement and maintenance of bluebird boxes is a relatively simple, hands-on project that contributes to the conservation of a native species and improves the aesthetic merit of the site.

I WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005 53

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION restoration projects. A list of native Pennsylvania birds of prey is provided in Table X, and should be consulted when developing considerations for potential target species in habitat enhancement efforts on site. Representatives at the Three Mile Island Generating Station can conserve habitat for raptors by protecting early successional, wooded and wetland habitats on site; furthermore, placing artificial nesting structures and brush piles may lead to habitat enhancements for raptors. Please contact WHC for more information about raptor habitat erihancements.

TABLE 7. COMMON BIRDS OF PREY IN PENNSYLVANIA TYPE MMONNAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Faleoo (Falconidae) erican kestrel Falco sparverius erlin Falco columbarius Hawk/Eagle (Accipitridae) Broad-winged hawk Buteo plarypterus Cooper's hawk Accipiter cooperii Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos J;IO-tthern. goshawk .Accipitergentiles Northern harrier Circus rya11Cl1s Red-shouldered hawk Buteo lineatus Red-tailed hawk Buteojamaicensis Rough-legged hawk Buteo lagopus Sha -shinned hawk Acci iter striatus 1

Owl (Strigidae) Northern saw-whet owl Aegolius acadicus Short-eared owl Asioflmnmeus Long-eared owl Asio otus Snowy owl Bubo scandiacus Great horned owl Bubo vit:ginianus Eastern screech owl Otus asio Barred owl Strix varia thartidae) Black vulture ture WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005 I 55

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURE 7. BALD EAGLE DISTRIBUTION WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA Map courtesy of PA DCNR.

T~ce p~esel"Vation of old pines is c2-tical in order. to provide quality nesting and roosting sites for bald eagles. By allowing trees to grow to maturity and leaving very tall trees (supercanopy or overstory trees) in the buffer area, employees and volunteers at Three Mile Island Generating Station will be creating ideal future roosting sites for bald eagles and other birds of prey. Suitable perches include slash pine, oak, or any tall snag within SO feet of the shoreline. Snags are used by bald eagles for perching, but these birds do prefer overhead cover at the nesting site. Ideally, these perches should have large, open branches that hang over the water and there should be a minimum of two to three snags or dead trees within % mile of a nest. The Three Mile Island Generating Station wildlife team can keep these requirements in mind when making management decisions in the buffer area. These decisions would include identifying potential mature-canopy trees and developing a plan to enhance and preserve them. In order to provide beneficial habitat for bald eagles, such as canopy oaks and white pines, the team can plan to remove surrounding weed trees or species with poor health or growth patterns. This thinning and selective cutting process reduces competition for resources within that area of the woodlot for the larger trees, thereby allowing the oaks and pines greater growth rates. Over the long term, this strategy would provide the canopy trees that in turn attract bald eagles.

WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER20051S7

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDliFE .MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION PHOTO 8. OSPREY NEST Photo courtesy of Sue Wolinsky, WHC Wildlife Biologist/Certification Program Manager.

FIGURE 8. OSPREY DISTRIBUTION WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA Map courtesy of PA DCNR.

WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER20051s9

SITE ASSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION wildlife team should also fill the nest box with three to four inches of small, rounded pea gravel for nesting substrate.

Peregrine nesting patterns seem to habitually follow the 'migratory corridor', reflecting the geographical preference of migrating songbirds, their main prey item. These sites are often in great demand by nesting birds, for the obvious reason that nesting success is increased where prey is more abundant, and are often the subject of ardent competition. In undeveloped areas, preferred sites include ledges on cliffs and rocky outcrops, usually at an elevation of 15 to 60 meters, with a southerly exposure, some vegetation present on the ledge, and a protective overhang above. However, these are relatively generic qualifications, and individuals can vary greatly in their choice of nesting sites (referred to as eyries).

FIGURE 9. PEREGRINE FALCON NEST Box DIAGRAM WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005161

SITE ASSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE :MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION only two to four inches in length with average wingspans of up to twelve inches and often weigh less than one ounce.

In spite of their beneficial and relatively innocuous nature, over half of the bat species in America are considered to be endangered or in rapid decline. Pesticide use, habitat destruction, and disturbance of colonies during hibernation and breeding are among the biggest threats to these populations. Placing and monitoring artificial roosting structures are steps that the Three Mile Island Generating Station can take to support bat populations and to help slow or even reverse, their downward population trend.

TABLE 8. BATS COMMON IN PENNSYLVANIA COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME

• • Big brown bat EptesicusJuscus

• • Little brown bat Myotis luciJugus Indiana bat - Myotis sodalis - -

Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus Silver-haired bat Lasi01!Jcteris noctivagans Northern long ear bat Myotis septentrionalis Red bat Lasiurus borealis Small footed bat Myotis leibii Eastern pipistrelle Pipistrellus subjlavus

• Seminole bat Lasiurus semionoles

• Evening bat Nycticeius humeralis

• Species has been documented in Pennsylvania, but is not considered a regular resident.

• • Species have been documented using bat houses.

Boxes may be used for establishment of nursery colonies during the summer months, for roosting or for hibernating. Once a location is established, bat populations will generally return to the same bat box every year. The bats can be monitored by looking up into the box during the day with a flashlight to count the number of occupants, and by counting the number of bats that emerge in the evening. To count pups, wait until the adults have emerged in the evening, and then use a flashlight to attempt to count the pups remaining. Each breeding female usually has one pup per year. The pups are born hairless and unable to fly, and are dependent on the mother for protection and milk. The mother will leave the pup alone in the colony at night to feed, but will return to nurse. The young will begin to leave the colony for short flights when six to eight weeks old, usually in late July.

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SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDUFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURE 10. BAT SPECIES DISTRIBUTION AROUND DAUPHIN COUNTY Current understanding of the distributions of bat species during the past 100-150 years around Dauphin County, PA Maps courtesy ofJosiane Bonneau, WHC Wildlife Biologist.

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SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION PHOTO 11. APPALACHIAN BROWN Photo courtesy of Sue Wolinsky, WHC Wildlife Biologist/Certification Program Manager.

Loss of nesting habitat and nectar sources, combined with widespread pesticide use has lead to a decline in bees and other pollinators that has caused alarm amongst the scientific community. The drastic decline in domestic honeybees in the last few years due to the mite parasitism has lead to further cause for concern in protecting native bee populations. There are over 3500 species of bees native to North America and over 50 different species of butterfly and moth have been identified in Dauphin County alone.

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SITEAsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION IcNAME Compton tortoiseshell J\!ylnphalis vaualbuln Ocola skipper Panoquina ocola Eastern tiger swallowtail Papilio glaucus Black swallowtail Papilio pofyxems Spicebush swallowtail Papilio Troilus White hairstreak Parrhasius In-albuln Commonsootywing Pholisora catullus Tawny crescent P!?Jciodes batesii Pearl crescent P!?Jciqdes tharos Cabbage white Pieris rapae West Virginia white Pieris virginie1lsis Hobomok skipper Poams hobolnonk Long dash Polites Inystic Peck's skipper Polites peckius Tawny edged skipper Polites thelnistocles Eastern comma Pofygonia cOlnlna Question mark Pofygonia interrogationis Gray comma Pofygoniaprogm Littleglassywing POlnpeiu.[ verna Checkered white Pontiaprotodice Grizzled skipper Pyrgus cmtaureae Common checkered skipper Pyrgus cOlnlnunis Banded hairstreak Saryriuln calanus Striped hairstreak Saryriuln liparops Appalachian brown Saryrodes Appalachia Aphrodite fritillary Spryeria aphrodite Great spangled fritillary Spryeria rybele Atlantis fritillary Spryeria idalia Regal fritillary Spryeria idalia Gray hairstreak Strylnonlnelinus Southern cloudywing Thorybes bat!?Jllus Northern cloudywing Thorybes pylades European skipper T!?Jlnelicus limola Red admiral Vamssa atalanta Painted lady Vamssa carduii American lady Vamssa virginiensis Northern broken dash Wallen rmia e erelnet The majority of North American bees are solitary and should not to be confused with honeybees, which nest in colonies and were introduced into the U.S. The distinction between native, solitary bees and introduced, social bees is important for public awareness of bee conservation because only social bees swarm to protect their hive; native pollen bees on the other hand rarely ever sting and when they do, the sting tends to be mild. Native bees can generally be categorized as either WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER200s169

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION AME ERPILLAR HOSTS ODD Variegated fritillary Maypops, mayapple, violet Milkweed, red clover, sunflower Sleepy orange Cassia species in the pea family Shepherd's needle Zebra swallowtail Asimina (pawpaw) Blueberry, blackberry, lilac Harvester Insects on ash, beech, alders Aphid honeydew Eastern tailed blue Alfalfa, wild pea, bush clover Winter cress, cinquefoils, asters Leonard's skipper Little bluestem, blue grama Blazing star, thistles, asters Indian skipper Little bluestem, panic grass Blackberry, phlox, bugloss Common buckeye Snapdragon, toadflax Aster, chicory, knapweed Viceroy Willow, poplar, cottonwood Dung, fungi, goldenrod, thistle Red spotted purple Wild cherry, aspen, poplar Sap, rotting fruit, dung, privet American copper Sheep sorrel, curled dock Buttercup, white clover, yarrow Little wood satyr Orchard and centipede grasses Sap, aphid honeydew Mourning cloak Willows, American elm Oak sap, rotting fruit Compton tortoiseshell Aspen, cottonwood, birch Sap, rotting fruit, nectar Ocola skipper Rice, sugarcane, trompetilla Lantana, milkweed, buttonbush Eastern tiger swallowtail Cottonwood, tuliptree, ash Wild cherry, lilac Black swallowtail Wild carrot, celery and dill Red clover, milkweed, thistle Spicebush swallowtail Spicebush, sassafras tree Jewelweed, thistle, azalea White hairstreak ;Live oak, other oa,ks Viburnum, sumac:, sourwood Commonsootywing Lambsquarters, amaranths Dogbane, white clover, oxalis Tawny crescent Wavyleaved aster, true asters Flower nectar Pearl crescent Smooth-leaved true asters Dogbane, shepherd's needle, Cabbage white Mustard and caper family Mustards, dandelion, red clover West Virginia white Mustard family Toothwort, spring beauty, violet Hobomok skipper Panic grass, bluegrasses Milkweed, henbit, blackberry Long dash Bluegrasses Milkweed, selfheal, laurel Peck's skipper Rice cutgrass, bluegrass red clover, purple vetch, thistles Tawny edged skipper Panic grass, slender crabgrass Alfalfa, dogbane, coneflower Eastern comma Elm and nettle families Rotting fruit, tree sap Question mark Elms, hackberry, nettles Rotting fruit, sap, dung, fungi Gray comma Gooseberry, azalea Sap, rarely flower nectar Little glassywing Purpletop Dogbane, milkweed, joe-pye weed Checkered white Mustard and caper family Mustards, alfalfa, spiraea Grizzled skipper Wild strawberry, rose family Blueberry, wild strawberry Common checkered skipper Mallow family species Shepherd's needles, fleabane, Banded hairstreak Oak, walnut, hickory Dogbane, milkweed, NJ Tea Striped hairstreak Plum, hornbeam, oak, willow Goldenrod, meadowsweet Appalachian brown Giant sedge, sedges Sap, non-floral resources Aphrodite fritillary Various violet species Milkweed, viper's bugloss Great spangled fritillaty Various violet species Milkweed, thistle, ironweed Atlantis fritillary Violets Mint, mountain laurel, Regal fritillary Violets, bird's foot violet Milkweed, thistle, red clover Gray hairstreak Pea and mallow families Dogbane, milkweed, mint Southern cloudywing Bush clover, clover, fuzzybean Dogbane, selfheal, thistle Northern cloudywing Beggar's ticks, bushclover, Dogbane, selfheal, thistles Euro ean ski er Timoth ,other rasses Hawkweed, thistle, oxe e dais WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005171

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE ~AGEMENTOPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION FIGURE 11. TURTLES USING BASKING LOG Photo courtesy of Sue Wolinsky, WHC Wildlife Biologist/Certification Program Manager.

Reptiles, the other component of the term "herptile," are often separated into four main categories for study: crocodiles, lizards, snakes and turtles. Reptile development and overall lifecycles are very different than those common among amphibians; reptiles generally spend their lives in terrestrial environments and young do not go through an extended metamorphosis, rather they are born as miniature versions of adults. The crocodile category of reptiles includes the American alligator; while the "lizard" classification includes iguanas,geckos, skinks and chameleons. Snakes, which are further described as legless reptiles that live in the ground, trees or water, include earth snakes, common garter snakes, and copperheads. Turtle, which are the only reptile species with an external shell, include bog turtles, bog turtles, painted turtles, map turtles and stinkpots. Now only a remnant of a formerly large group, reptile's today number just about 6,000 species worldwide, much less than during the time when reptiles dominated life on this planet. Of the major groups of reptiles worldwide, only turtles, lizards and snakes are represented in Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, there are 38 different reptiles, which are divided among eight families and 28 genera.

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SITEAsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE 1IJANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION I TYPE r.OMMON NAME

• SCIENTIFIC NAME Amphibian Mud salamander Pseudotriton montanus Red salamander Pseudotriton ruber Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus Eastern newt Notophthalmus viridescens American toad Bufo americanus Fowler's toad Bufo fowleri Northern cricl,;:et frog Acris crepitans Gray treefrog Hyla versicolor Mountain chorus frog Pseudacris brac!?Jphona Striped chorus frog Pseudacris triseriata New Jersey chorus frog Pseudacris triseriata kalmi Spring peeper Ifyla crucifer Eastern spadefoot Scaphiopus holbrookii Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana Green frog Rana clamitans Pickerel frog Rana palustris Northern leopard frog Ranapipens Wood frog Rana [Jlvatica

~ . --. Coa§ta! plain leopard frog Rana sphenocephala.

Reptile Snapping turtle Chefydra serpentina Northern painted turtle Chrysemys picta Spotted turtle Clemmys guttata Wood turtle Gfyptemys insculpta Bog turtle Gfyptemys muhlenbergii Blanding's turtle Emys blandingii Map turtle Graptemys geographica Redbelly turtle Pseudemys rubriventris Eastern box turtle Terrapene carolina Eastern mud turtle Kinosternon subrubrum Stinkpot Sternotherus odoratus Smooth softshell Apalone mutica Spiny softshell Apalone spinifera p:asterl1 fence lizard SceloporIjs undulates Coal skink Eumeces anthracinus Five~lined skink E1I1necesfasciatus Broadhead skink EUf1jeces laticeps Worm snake Catpkophis amoenus Kirtland's snake Clonophis kirtlandii Black racer Coluber constrictor Ringneck snake Diadophisplmctatus Rat snake Elaphe obsolete Eastern hognose Heterodon platirhinos Common kingsnake Lampropeltisgetula

~snake Lampropeltis triangulum Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcroBER2005175

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDliFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION Although spotted turdes occupy a wide variety of habitats across their range, they are most frequendy found residing in shallow, well vegetated wedands, mainly vernal pools, swamps, streams and drainage ditches. They are reliant on these aquatic habitats for foraging, aestivation, basking, courtship, and in winter, hibernation. As diurnal reptiles, active only during the day, spotted turdes will often retreat to low-lying areas at night to seek cover or burrow into soft mud.

During early spring, typically March through May, spotted turdes will occupy open, wet areas in ponds or wooded marshes, but will migrate to more vegetative areas for early summer.

Throughout the hottest summer months, mid-July until mid August, the turdes will aestivate, remain inactive, by burrowing in soft substrate or under vegetation. Again in the winter, typically near October, spotted turdes will undergo a similar period of inactivity, hibernation. During hibernation, turdes will lower their metabolism to a very low rate in order to conserve energy through these cold winter months.

Shordy after emerging from hibernation in early March, spotted turdes begin displaying courtship behaviors such as anxiously chasing a female. Once the quest is complete, the male and female will mate in the water. Then, in mid-June the female will travel, often a lengthy distance, to a suitable nesting site of sandy sad or tufts of grass to dig her nest. The female will alternate her hind feet to dig a shallow, flask-shaped nest approximately two inches deep. Typically spotted turdes lay three to seven soft, white, oval-shaped eggs. The eggs will then incubate in the nest for approximately 60 to 80 days, however, depending on weather condition, may over-winter in the nest and emerge in the spring.

2.2 PLANTS AND WILDLIFE IDENTIFIED AT THE THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION Table 12 lists some of the wildlife species that have been observed at the Three Mile Island Generating Station. Comprised of species direcdy observed by the visiting WHC biologist as well as those identified previously by site and contract employees, the list is intended to be used as a foundation for the development of a comprehensive inventory of plants and animals at the site.

To facilitate the development of a species inventory, a sample list of species characteristic to the ecoregion in which the Three Mile Island Generating Station is situated is provided alphabetically by scientific name in Appendix II of this report.

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SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION E COMMON NAME IFICNAME Birds Ring billed gull Larus delawarensis Mallard Anasplatyrf?ynchos Great blue heron Ardea herodias Canada goose Branta Canadensis Turkey vulture Cathrtes aura Rock dove Columba livia Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus Barn swallow Hirundo rustica Mockingbird Mimus po!Jglottos Osprey Pandion heliaetus Ring-necked pheasant* Phasianus colchicus Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis Tree swallow Tacf?ycineta bicolor Mournin dove Zenaida macroura Fish American shad Alosa sapidissima Sunfish Enneacanthus or Lepomis spp.

Carp yprinus carpio Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides Stri ed bass Morone saxatilis te swallowtail s 2.3 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES Including invertebrates and plants, there are approximately 740 species that have been listed as endangered or threatened within the state of Pennsylvania. One example of animals that were once common in Pennsylvania that have gone extinct is the passenger pigeon. Of the total number of endangered and threatened species designated in the state, 382 are vascular plants, 282 are invertebrates, 43 are fish, five are reptiles, five are amphibians, 16 are avian species, and nine are mammals. The two most common causes of the species decline that ultimately leads to state and federally listing species are habitat degradation and habitat loss. Table 13 provides a summary of the types of species that are considered to be threatened and endangered in Pennsylvania while Table 14 lists Pennsylvania State listed threatened and/or endangered species that may have populations within Dauphin County. More information is available about these species, and the WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005179

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION T'~~==~~=~===~==~==~~=~""""""

• TYPE C NAME STATUS Fish Mountain brook lamprey Ichtl?Jomyzon greelryi State Threatened Smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus State Threatened Bigrnouth buffalo Ictiobus ryprinel/us State Endangered Spotted gar Lepisosteus oculatus State Endangered Warmouth Lepomis gulosus State Endangered Longear sunfish Lepomis megalotis State Endangered Burbot Lota Iota State Endangered Redfin shiner Lythrurus umbratilis State Endangered Silver chub Macrl?Jbopsis storeriana State Endangered Spotted sucker Mi1!Jtmna melanops State Threatened Bridle shiner Notropis bifrenatus State Endangered River shiner Notropis blennius State Endangered Ghost shiner Notropis buchanani State Endangered Ironcolor shiner Notropis chafybaeus State Endangered Bigrnouth shiner Notropis dorsal/is State Threatened Blackchin shiner Notropis heterodon State Endangered Mountain madtom Noturus eleutherus State Endangered Tadpole madtom Noturus !JIrinus State Endangered Brindled madtom Noturusmiurus State Threatened Northern madtom Noturus stigmosus State Endangered Channel darter Percina copelandii State Threatened Gilt darter Percina evides State Threatened Longhead darter Percina macroephalia State Threatened Southern redbelly dace Phoxinus erythrogaster State Threatened Reptile/Amphibian Green salamander Aneides aeneus State Threatened Red-bellied turtle Pseudemys rubriventris State Threatened Rough green snake Opheodrys aestivua State Threatened

• • Bog turtle Clemmys muhlenbet;gii State Endangered Massasauga rattlesnake Sistrurus catenatus State Endangered Kirtland's snake Clonophis kitlandii State Endangered New]ersey chorus frog Pseudacris triseriata kalmi State Endangered Coastal plain leopard frog Rana utricularia State Endangered Eastern mud salamander Pseudotrion m. montaus State Endangered Invertebrate *Northern riffleshell mussel Epioblasma torulosa rangiana State Endangered Clubshell mussel Pleurobema clava State Endangered

• Dwarf wedgemussel Alasmidonta heterodon State Endangered

• Northern riffleshell Epioblasma torulosa rangiana Special Concern Regal Fritillary Spryeria idalia Special Concern Bird American bittern Botaurus lentiginosus State Endangered

• • Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus State Endangered Black tern Chlidonias niger State Endangered Great egret Casmerodius albus State Endangered I<in rail Ral/us ele ans State Endan ered WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005 I81

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION 2.3.1 Identify Endangered, Threatened, and Candidate Species Corporations play a fundamental role in determining the fate of America's endangered species.

One study, conducted by the Association for Biodiversity Information (now NatureServe) and The Nature Conservancy in 1993, found that half of the species listed under the Endangered Speci~s Act (ESA) have 80 percent or more of their habitat on private lands. Exelon Corporation's Three :Mile Island Generating Station facility may provide habitat that supports state and/or federal listed species, although none have been documented.

According to research compiled by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources regarding the distribution of state listed threatened and endangered species, there may potentially be at least three state listed threatened and/or endangered species in Dauphin County. The list includes the bald eagle, which is federally threatened particularly with regard to wintering habitat, and both osprey and peregrine falcons, which are known to inhabit areas on and adjacent to Three

Mile Island. Table 15 lists the state listed threatened and endangered species, and their habitat requirements, that occur in Dauphin County. In addition, there are additional state threatened and/ or endangered species that occur in neighboring counties, and may find suitable habitat in proximity to the Three :Mile Island Generating Station location. These species, which occur in neighboring counties, include reptile species such as the bog turtle, red-bellied turtle, and rough green snakes, and insects such as the regal fritillary.

TABLE 15. DAUPHIN COUNTY POTENTIAL OCCURRENCES OF STATE LISTED THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES 2.3.2 Develop Agreements for Listed or Candidate Species if Identified On Site Many private landowners are concerned that identifying endangered or threatened species on their property will result in heavy land use restrictions being imposed upon them, and therefore avoid I

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SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION costs and restrictions to landowners resulting from that status. Candidate Conservation Agreements for the Three Mile Island Generating Station would be made between the U.S. FWS and Exelon Corporation. The U.S. FWS would provide technical assistance in developing the agreements, which would outline specific actions that Exelon Corporation is voluntarily willing to commit to that which will eliminate or reduce the threats to candidate and proposed species.

These actions must, however, contribute significantly to removlrlg the need to list the species.

As with Safe Harbor Agreements, landowners that commit to Candidate Conservation Agreements are provided assurances that no additional restrictions will be imposed above those outlined in the agreement. Section 1o(a) (1) (A) of the ESA allows landowners complying with Candidate Conservation Agreements to incidentally take individuals or alter habitat in order to return the land to the conditions outlined in the agreement, provided that the overall goal of precluding the need to list species is adhered to. The U.S. FWS can provide further information on these programs.. Contact information is provided'in Appendix III.

3. USING WHC's TEAM KIT TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM The Three Mile Island Generating Station may wish to purchase a WHC Team I<:it to assist with the development of a comprehensive, employee-based habitat enhancement program.

Information regarding volunteer recruitment tools, outreach ideas, guidance on writing a wildlife management plan, and WHC programs such as the Coporate Wildlife Habitat Certification/InternationalAccreditation Program are included with the WHC Team I<:it.

3.1 BUILD A WILDLIFE TEAM Creating a Wildlife Team is an important part of a successful habitat enhancement program.

Employee participation increases interest and enthusiasm among workers and strengthens extended commitment to the enhancement program through the expansion of a sense of WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005185

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION the site locale. This list is not intended to be definitive, but rather it should be used as an indicator of the types of species that participants in the site inventory may encounter.

Resources the Three Mile Island Generating Station Wildlife Team may find useful in conducting a site inventory include knowledgeable employees, local natural resource professionals, and conservation organizations. The Wildlife Team orWHC can contact outside organizations, such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), for possible assistance with inventories.

Contact information for organizations that may provide assistance is included in Appendix III of this report. Ensure that external experts assisting in species inventories understand the importance of providing educational experiences for employees new to wildlife identification concepts. Additional information on conducting a site inventory is included in the Site Inventory leaflet in Appendix V.

. - .. ,-_.- ,. ~

3.3 WRITE THE SITE WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT AND BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION PLAN The probability of success for any habitat enhancement program is largely dependent on the formation of a comprehensive strategy; as such, the development of a wildlife habitat management and biodiversity protection plan (in conjunction with the site inventory) should be the most fundamental task of the Three Mile Island Generating Station Wildlife Team. The wildlife habitat management plan outlines the goals of the wildlife habitat program, describes projects to achieve these goals, makes provisions for monitoring projects, and presents implementation and review schedules. WHC recommends that the wildlife management and biodiversity protection plan be holistic in scope by encompassing the entirety of the site. Although the primary goal of the wildlife habitat program is to enhance wildlife habitat, WHC further recommends that additional goals, such as the implementation of an education component or achieving WHC certification, as well as all projects associated with each goal, be included in the wildlife management and biodiversity protection plan.

WHC recommends that the Wildlife Team begin by identifying site habitat and biodiversity program objectives and setting target dates for achievements. In addition, the team should outline how program success will be measured and how performance will be assessed. Habitat projects WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OCTOBER 2005187

SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION

4. RECOMMENDED WILDLIFE HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS The individual habitat enhancement projects recommended in this section are provided as a resource for developing the wildlife management plan and were chosen based upon the critetia of ease of implementation, high visibility, and relative likelihood of success. The Wildlife Team may choose to implement some or all of these projects and is furthermore encouraged to explore additional habitat enhancement opportunities. Projects suggested for the Three Mile Island Generating Station Wildlife Team members to consider in the future include:

• Identifying and managing any invasive, exotic species on site,

• Enhancing tiparian buffer habitats for native wildlife species, especially migratory birds

• Erecting and monitoring nest boxes for cavity nesting avian and mammal species,

• Erecting additional perches on site for nesting osprey, peregrine falcons, and other birds of prey,

• Conducting surveys and necessary enhancements for native amphibian and reptile species that may utilize seasonal wedands on site,

• Considering establishing native grassland and wildflower meadows just outside the gates, in old field habitats on site,

• Continuing efforts to improve habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms, and including more intensive monitoting and evaluation of efforts to improve the overall health of the Susquehanna River.

As the wildlife program develops and interest among employees - participant and non-participant alike - increases, WHC recommends that the Three Mile Island Generating Station pursue additional projects to maintain momentum and continue expanding the program, thereby producing additional opportunities for wildlife habitat enhancement on the site facility, which in turn will further generate exposure and attention to the program. WHC encourages employee and managers associated with the Three Mile Island Generating Station to give these initiatives careful consideration as they atise.

In addition to unforeseen opportunities for employees to contribute positively to wildlife conservation within wildlife management areas, WHC recommends exploting additional areas of WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL ocmBER200sIs9

SITE AsSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERA TING STATION

6. WHC's CORPORATE HABITAT CERTIFICATION/INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION PROGRAM WHC's Corporate Wildlife Habitat Certification/InternationalAccreditation Program is designed to provide recognition to corporate entities for the successful implementation of substantial wildlife habitat management programs. Sites that demonstrate a long-term commitment to managing habitat for wildlife are bestowed with WHC certification in recognition of such efforts. Awardees are also distinguished through the publication of habitat enhancement program descriptions on WHC's web site, and through the dissemination of site-approved press releases to local and national news sources. Sites certified by WHC also receive an award plaque and are honored at WHC's annual symposium.

The Three Mile Island Generating Station could be eligible to apply for WHC certification in 2007 if site habitat enhancement projects are implemented prior to July 31, 2006. Habitat enhancement projects must be implemented, documented, monitored, and maintained for a minimum of one year prior to eligibility. Furthermore, WHC requires the submission of appropriate documentation relating to habitat enhancement projects conducted on-site in order for the site to be considered for certification. Additional factors, such as employee participation in the program and community outreach activities, are also reviewed and greatly reinforce the application. Overall, the.

Three Mile Island Generating Station wildlife management program is judged for WHC certification on the basis of a demonstrated commitment to responsible corporate environmental stewardship. A panel of independent wildlife biologists will review submitted documentation to determine if the program meets the criteria of WHC certification.

As outlined on the certification application form included in Appendix IV of this report, the following items should be included for submission:

• An inventory of the animal and plant species found on the site;

• The Wildlife Team's wildlife habitat management plan; WILDLIFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcrOBER2005191

SITE ASSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION

7. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT The success of the Three Mile Island Generating Station Wildlife at Work program depends in large ,

part upon the levels of expertise, labor, and funding available for projects. Thus the potential for success of the site's Wildlife at Work program will be significantly increased through the formation of partnerships with an assortment of specialized organizations that may assist in the provision of such factors. Collaborations with local, regional, and national organizations, including non-profits, community groups, schools, youth groups, private landowners, and government agencies, may prove beneficial for the realization of program implementation.

Effective programs for the Wildlife Team to meet conservation and environmental education objectives through partnerships include:

• The Corporate Campaign for Migratory Bird Conservation

• The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI)

• The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign

• WHC's Corporate Lands for Leaming (CLL) Program

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Joint Ventures Program

• The Five-Star Restoration Program 7.1 PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT The survival of many species, in particular those with extended ranges or that exhibit migratory behavior, depends on coordinated conservation efforts among a number of stakeholder entities.

As a result, functional collaboration among various groups is becoming increasingly common as a way of dealing with environmental issues. Such stakeholder affiliations address pressing conservation issues on a landscape scale while allowing individual partner groups to continue working at the local level. As such, individual site programs such as that instituted at the Three Mile Island Generating Station are generally more effective when partnered with organizations working for conservation at broader scales.

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SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION 7.3 THE NORTH AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE Many migratory bird specles of North America must cross international political boundaries during their bi-annual journey. As such, countries with incongruent environmental, biological, and conservation legislation and practices must therefore formulate a standard medium with which to facilitate cooperation for attaining the common goal of bird conservation in order to overcome such disparities in national conservation regulations and programs.

The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) was formed to facilitate coordination and cooperation among Canada, the United States, and Mexico in order to address the conservation of migratory bird species that span the continent. Formally, ce *** NABCI is a statement of principles and approaches shared by individuals, organizations, agencies, and programs working for the conservation of birds and their habitats in Canada, the United States, and Mexico."

- NABCI website.

NABCI is not a regulatory instrument, but rather acts as a forum designed to facilitate the flow of ideas and information among concerned organizations and to provide a mechanism for the dissemination of information to a non-specialized audience.

7.4 NORTH AMERICAN POLLINATOR PROTECTION CAMPAIGN According to the eighty partners working together in the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPq, pollinating species such as native and managed bees, beetles, butterflies, moths, bats, and birds ensure productive harvests and seed set for many important food, oil, and fiber crops throughout the world. In the U.S alone, the USDA estimates that pollinators are responsible for providing reproduction services to $40 billion worth of agricultural products each year.

Pollinators are also essential for maintaining healthy, natural ecosystems by pollinating native plants important to many species of insects, wildlife, and fish. For example, approximately 25 percent of all songbirds include fruit or seeds as a major part of their diet, while other animals eat the leaves, roots, nuts, pollen, and/or nectar of pollinated plants. Additionally, many species of WILDUFE HABITAT COUNCIL OcroBER2005195

SITE ASSESSMENTAND WILDLIFE lIiANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION The NAPPC Pollinator Friendly Practices guidelines consider six different areas of land use management: Foraging Habitat, Reproduction, Shelter, Invasive/Exotic Species, Chemical Use, and Monitoring; For each topic, there is a central question to be addressed, followed by a detailed approach to the subject. The complete guidelines, as well as a program registration form, are included in Appendix IV. For more information, please contact Marcia Maslonek, WHC Director of Biodiversity and Technical Programs, at (412) 777-2464.

7.5 CORPORATE LANDS FOR LEARNING (CLL)

The Wildlife Habitat Council and the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) co-developed the Cotporatc Landsfor Learning (CLL) program to facilitate the coordination of corporate resources with local schools to form functional partnerships based on the foundation of environmental education and outreach. The goal of the program is to maximize the use of human and natural resources of the corporate site to benefit the educational needs of the local schools. An environmental education program would allow students from the local community to use the Three Mile Island Generating Station as an outdoor classroom for practical and applied experience in environmental issues. CLL offers the opportunity to create a nationally recognized environmental education partnership between corporations and the communities in which they exist.

The first steps in initiating an environmental education program are to evaluate the needs of the local community and the resources available at the site. Site representatives then meet with representative individuals from local schools and environmental education groups in the community to identify constraints and opportunities. Following these two steps, WHC will provide the site with a report that outlines the types of activities possible, recommendations for implementation, an overview of state mandates, and a suggested curriculum that can be accomplished on the site to meet these mandates. WHC will then develop and deliver a two-day training workshop designed to teach and train employees, educators, and others how to build partnerships and use the provided educational programs and curriculum.

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SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION wildlife habitat but also enhance natural resource quality, such as reducing soil erosion and flood potential and filtering pollutants in ground water.

7.6.1 Additional Information and Assistance More information about the Corporate Campaign for Migratory Birds, regional Joint Ventures, Management Boards, projects, goals, and corporate benefits can be found on-line at www.wildlifehc.org/managementtools/waterfowl.cfm or by contacting David Wesley, WHC Migratory Bird Coordinator, at dwesley@montana.com.

7.7 FIVE-STAR RESTORATION PROGRAM The Three Mile Island Generating Station can further demonstrate its commitment to watershed protection by participating in theFive-Sta!Ri=storation pr9gram. The Five-~tar challenge grant program - a partnership between WHC, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fish and Wildlife Federation, the National Association of Counties, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - focuses on community-based watershed restoration projects. Each year, approximately $500,000 is given in grant awards to 70 projects, which are typically matched five-fold by the partners in each project. Since the program's inception in 1998, 70 miles of stream buffers have been planted, 7,000 acres of wedands have been restored and over 10,000 volunteers have participated. Five-Star is a unique opportunity that allows corporations to reach out to their communities and involve local governments, non-profit organizations, small businesses and a wide range of citizen groups. Each organization contributes cash or services and becomes a "partner" who makes a permanent commitment to maintain the restored or enhanced waterway.

WHC is pleased to promote corporate participation in Five-Star, and we spotlight their work on the WHC web site, in our quarterly newsletters, and at our annual Symposium. So far, 19 WHC members have been involved with Five-Star by organizing their own projects on corporate land or making in-kind and cash donations to support projects in their neighborhoods. Further information about the Five-Star Restoration Program can be found on-line at http:// www.wildlifehc.org/fivestar.

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SITEAssESSMENTAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXELON CORPORATION'S THREE MILE ISLAND GENERATING STATION available to participate in team meetings, species inventories, special events, and strategic planning of the program.

WHC is pleased to have been given the opportunity to assist employees at the Three Mile Island Generating Station in the development and implementation of a long-term wildlife habitat management program and encourages Exelon Corporation to continue its leadership in this pursuit.

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Ellis, Barbara W. and Fern Marshall Bradley, eds. 1992. The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control. Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania. 534pp.

Flink, Charles A., Peter Lagerwey, Diana Balmori and Robert M. Searns. 1993. Trails for the Twenry-First Century: Planning, Design, and Management Manualfor Multi-use Trails. Edited by Karen-Lee Ryan. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 213pp.

Grimm, William Carey. 1993. The Illustrated Book of Wil4flowers and Shrubs. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 637pp.

Hammer, Donald A. 1992. Creating* Freshwater Wetlands. Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, Michigan. 298pp.

Harker, Donald, Gary Libby, Kay Harker, Sherri Evans and Marc Evans. 1999. Landscape Restoration Handbook. 2nd ed. Lewis Publishers, Ann Arbor, Michigan. 145pp.

Henderson, Carrol L. 1987. Landscapingfor Wildlife. Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, St. Paul, Minnesota. 110pp.

Henderson, Carrol L. 1992. Woodworking for Wildlife: Homes for Birds and Mamlnals. 2nd ed.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, Minnesota. 111 pp.

Henry, Peggy. 1995. Gardening to Attract Birds and Butteiflies. Avon Books, New York, New York. 79pp.

Hotchkiss, Neil. 1972. Common Marsh, Underwater and Floating-leaved Plants of the United States and Canada. General Publishing Co., Ltd. Toronto, Ontario. 124pp.

Hygnstrom, Scott, Robert Timm and Gary Larson. 1994. Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. Vol. 1-2, Texas.

Jones, Samuel B. and Leonard E. Foote. 1990. Gardening with Native Wil4flowers. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 195pp.

Kusler, Jon A. and Mary E. Kentula, eds. 1990. Wetland Creation and &storation. Island Press, Washington D.C. 594pp.

Lee, David S., Carter S. Gilbert, Charles H. Hocutt, Robert E. Jenkins, Don E. McAllister and Jay R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American Freshwater Fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History., North Carolina. 867pp.

Lincoln, Roger, Geoff Boxshall and Paul Clark. 1998. A Dictionary of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 2"d ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 361pp.

Magee, Dennis W. 1981. Freshwater Wetlands: A Guide to Common Indicator Plants of the Northeast.

The University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, Massachusetts. 245 pp.

Stokes, Donald and Lilian. 1989. The Hummingbird Book: The Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and E1?jr(ying Hummingbirds. Little, Brown and Company, Boston, Massachusetts.

87pp.

Tacha, Thomas C. and Clait E. Braun, eds. 1994. Migratory Shore and Upland Game Bird Management in North America. Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas. 223pp.

Terres, John K. 1956. The Audubon Society Enryclopedia of North American Birds. Wings Books, Avenel, New Jersey. 1109pp.

Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective by J Samuel Walker Provided by University of California Press through the Google Print Publisher Program Treepeople, Andy and Katie Lipkis. 1990. The Simple Act of Planting a Tree. Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles, California. 236pp.

U.SD.A. Forest Service. 1984. Standard Specification for Construction of Trails. EM-7720-102.

U.SD.A., F~rc~st Service, Washing!on, DC. 105pp.

USDA, NRCS. 2005. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). Data compiled from various sources by Mark W. Skinner. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Whitson, Tom D., ed., Larry C. Burrill, Steven A. Dewey. David W. Cudney, B.E. Nelson, Richard D. Lee and Robert Parker. 1996. Weeds of the West. 5th ed. Pioneer of Jackson Hole, Jackson, Wyoming. 630pp.

Xerces Society, The. 1990. Butteif!y Gardening: Creating Summer Magic inyour Garden. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco, California. 192pp.

Recommended Field Guides Boyd, Howard P. 1991. A Field Guide to the Pine Barrens of New Jersry. Plexus Publishing, Inc.,

Bedford, New Jersey. 423pp.

Bull, John. 2000. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds: Eastern &gion.

Revised ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, New York. 800pp.

Burr, Brooks M., Lawrence M. Page, and Tory Peterson. 1998. A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes: North America North of Mexico (peterson Field Guides). Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 541 pp.

Burt, William H. 1998. A Peterson Field Guide to the Mammals of North America North of Mexico.

Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 367pp.

Theiret,]ohn W., William A. Neiring, and Nancy C. Olmstead. 2001. NationaiAudubon Society Field Guide to North American Wikiflowers: Eastern Region. Alfred A Knopf, Inc., New York, New York. 896pp.

White, Richard E., and Donald]. Borror. 1998. A Peterson Field Guide to Insects: America North ifMexico. Houghton :Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 448pp.

Williamson, Sheri L. 2002. A Peterson Field Guide to the Hummingbirds if North American.

Houghton :Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 275pp.

TYPE COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Blue jay yanocitta mstata Tundra swan ygnus columbianus Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus American kestrel Falco sparverius Wilson's snipe Callinago delicata Common loon Cavia immer Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus Herring gull Larus argentatus Hooded merganser Lophocfytes cucullatus Red-bellied woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus Wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo Osprey Pandion haliaetus Double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Ringed-necked pheasant Phasiantls colchicus American golden-plover Pluvialis dominica Black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapilla Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis Tree swallow T acf?ycineta bic%r American robin Turdus migratorius Canada warbler Wilsonia canadensis Amphibians & Northern cricket frog Acris crepitans Reptiles Spotted salamander Amf:ystoma maculatum American toad Bufo americanus Snapping turtle Chefydra serpentina Painted turtle Chrysemyspicta Eastern rat snake Elaphe obsoleta Five-lined slunk Eumecesfasciatus Gray treefrog Hyla versicolor Milk snake Lampropeltis triangulum Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus Common water snake Nerodia sipedon sipedon Eastern newt Notophthalmus viridescens Lesser siren Siren intermedia Eastern massasauga Sistrurus catenatus catenatus Butterflies Tawny emperor Asterocampa cfyton 10 moth Automeris io Meadow fritillary Boloria bellona Monarch Danaus plexippus Silver-spotted skipper Epa'l!Jreus clarus Eastern tailed-blue Everes comyntas Giant swallowtail Papilio cresphontes Lab b:i!:!:e white Pieris

NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME pennywort Hydrocoryle americana Orange jewelweed Impatiens capensis American water-willow ] ustida americana Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Honesty Lunaria annua Whorled loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia Common moonseed Menispermum canadense Tall bluebells Mertensia paniculata Wall lettuce Mycelis muralis True forget-me-not "Myosotis scorpioides

,Common evening-primrose Oenothera biennis Devil's tongue Opuntia humifusa Sweet Cicely Osmorhiza clqytonii Wild ginseng Panax quinquefolius Downy phlox Phloxpilosa Common plantain Plantago mqjor Saltmarsh fleabane Pluchea odorata May-apple _ Podop0'"umpeltatum Swamp smartweed Pofygonum 0'dropiperoides Common buttercup Ranunculus acris Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba Fringe-leaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis Slender glasswort Salicornia maritima Northern pitcher plant Sarraceniapurpurea Starry Campion Silene stellata Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis Wood poppy Srylophorum dipl!Jllum Skunk cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus Yellow goatsbeard Tragopogon dubius Red clover Trifolium pratense Coltsfoot Tussilago faifara Stinging nettle Urtica dioica Blue vervain Verbena hastata Tall ironweed Vernonia gigantea Periwinkle Vinca minor Sand violet Viola qffinis White mule's-ear Xanthium strumarium Adam's needle Yucca jilamentosa Meadow zizia Zizja aptera Trees Balsam fIr Abies balsamea Black maple Acernigrum Horse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum Bog rosemary Andromedapolifolia

APPENDIXIH CONTACT INFORMATION FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESOURCES Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

Natural Resources Conservation Service Attn: Conservation Communications Staff P.O. Box 2890 Washington, DC 20013 NRCS PA Offices York County Field Office District Conservationist William Clifton Phone: 717-755-2966, ext 104 Email: william.clifton@pa.usda.gov NRCS PA Offices York County Field Qffice Natural Resource Specialist Jennifer Cook Phone: 717-755-2966, ext 105 Email: jennifer.cook@pa.usda.gov NRCS PA Offices York County Field Office Biologist J ames Gillis Phone: 717-755-2966, ext 108 Email: james.gillis@pa.usda.gov Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20460 (202) 272-0167 EPA Region 3 (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV)

Environmental Protection Agency 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029 http://www.epa.govltegion03 I Phone: (215) 814-5000 Fax: (215) 814-5103 Toll free: (800) 438-2474 Email: r3public@epa.gov

USGS PA Field Office USGS Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Email: 1-coopunit@lists.psu.edu 113 Merkle Building Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 Phone: 814-865-4511 Fax: 814-863-4710 US Forest Service USDA Forest Service 1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20250-0003 (202) 205-8333 US Forest Service, Region 9 Offices 626 East Wisconsin Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53202 Phone: (414) 297-3600 FAX: (414) 297-3808 TrY: (414-) 297-3507 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20426 US Army Corps of Engineers North Adantic Division 302 General Lee Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11252 Phone: 718765-7018 Fax: 718 765-7170

ORGANIZATION AND ACADEMIC RESOURCES Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association 1700 Hawk Mountain Road Kempton, PA 19529 Phone:610-756-6961 Fax: 610-756-4468 Email: info@hawkmountain.org Web site: http://www.hawkmountain.org/default.shtml Ducks Unlimited Mid-Adantic Field Office 34 Defense St., Suite 200 Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 1-800-45DUCKS Web site: http://www.ducks.org/conservation/Projects I GreatLakesAdanticl ChesapeakeBAy/index.asp National Wild Turkey Federation Post Office Box 530 ..

Edgefield, SC 29824-0530 Phone: 1-800-THE-NWTF Web site: http://www.nwtf.org/

Bat Conservation International Bat Conservation International P.O. Box 162603 Austin, TX 78716 Phone: (512) 327-9721 Fax: (512) 327-9724 Web site: http://www.batcon.org/home/default.asp Cornell Lab of Ornithology Attn: Communications 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.

Ithaca, NY 14850 Phone: 1-800-843-2473 Email: cornellbirds@cornell.edu Web site: http://www.birds.comell.edu/

North American Pollinator Protection Campaign c/o Coevolution Institute 423 Washington St, 5th Fl San Francisco, CA 94111-2339 Phone: (415) 362-1137 Fax: (415) 362-3070 Web site: http://www.nappc.org/

PA Resources Council Philadelphia Office 3606 Providence Rd.

Newtown Square, PA 19073 Phone: 610-353-1555 Web site: http://www.prc.org/

PA Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators Web site: http://pawr.com/

Wildlife Rescue of PA P.O. Box 71 Friendsville, PA 18818 Phone: 570)553-2499 Email: director@wildliferescue-pa.com Web site: http://www.wildliferescue-pa.com/

York College York, PA 17405-7199 Phone: 717) 846-7788 Web site: http://www.ycp.edu/

Pennsylvania State University-York 1031 Edgecomb Avenue York, PA 17403-3398 Phone: 717-771-4000 Web site: http://www.yk.psu.edu/contactus.htm York Technical Institute 1405 Williams Rd.

York, PA 17402 Phone: 1-800-227-9675 Web site: http://www.yti.edu/

Millersville University PO Box 1002 1 South George St Millersville, PA 17551 Phone: 717-872-3011 Web site: http://muweb.millersville.edu/index.php Harrisburg Area Community College One HACC Drive Harrisburg, PA 17110-2999 Phone: (717) 780-2300 or (800) ABC-HACC Email: pr@hacc.edu

Quarry Road Yardley, PA 19067 Phone: 215-968-6141 Buddies Nursery PO Box 14 Birdsboro, PA 19508 Phone: 610-582-2410 Hansen Nursery PO Box 8 Sassamsville, PA 19472 Phone: 215-754-7843 Brandywine Conservancy Box 141 Chadds Ford, PA 19317 Phone: 610-388-2700 Prairie Nursery PO Box 306 Westfield, WI 53964 Phone: 608-296-3679 Applewood Seed Company 5380 Vivian Street Arvado, CO 80002 Phone: 303-431-6283 Ernst Crownvetch Farms RD. 5, Box 806, Mercer Pike Meadville, PA 16335 Phone: 814-425-7276 Native Plants and Aquatic Nursery Sandy Wilson 834 Church Road Harleysville, PA 19438 Phone: 610-584-6302 Pennsylvania Nurserymen's Association, Inc.

Guide to Pennsylvania Nursery Stock 1924 North Second Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 National Wildflower Research Center 2600 FM 973