Arlington Municipal Airport Development Plan Arlington Airport Development Plan | Page 221
FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PLANTS
Biotic resources include the various types of plants and animals that are present in a particular area.
The term also applies to rivers, lakes, wetlands, forests, and other habitat types that support plants,
birds, and/or fish. Typically, development in areas such as previously disturbed airport property, popu‐
lated places, or farmland would result in minimal impacts to biotic resources.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is charged with overseeing the requirements contained
within Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. This Act was put into place to protect animal or plant
species whose populations are threatened by human activities. Along with the FAA, the USFWS re‐
views projects to determine if a significant impact to these protected species will result with imple‐
mentation of a proposed project. Significant impacts occur when the proposed action could jeopardize
the continued existence of a protected species or would result in the destruction or adverse modifica‐
tion of federally designated critical habitat in the area.
Arlington Municipal Airport is located in the Northern Blackland Prairie subdivision of the Great Plains
ecoregion. According to the USFWS Information for Planning and Conservation (IPaC) system, there
are four federally listed species that have potential habitat in the vicinity, two of which should be con‐
sidered only if proposed development includes wind energy projects. As proposed airport develop‐
ments do not include wind energy projects, the two species that would need to be considered under
the Endangered Species Act at the Airport include the Least Tern and Whooping Crane, both of which
are classified as Endangered.
Interior least terns are known to breed from early April to early August in Texas along portions of the
Rio Grande, Canadian River, Trinity River, and Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River. Nesting habitat
for this species includes large areas of bare or sparsely vegetated sand, shell and gravel beaches, sand‐
bars, islands, and salt flats near large rivers and reservoirs. Whooping cranes nest in Northwest Terri‐
tories and Alberta Provinces of Canada, and winter in and adjacent to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
along the central Texas coast. During migration, whooping cranes travel a nearly straight path be‐
tween these two locations, feeding in croplands and roosting in large flooded fields, wetlands, and
sandbars in large rivers.
Based on a review of aerial photography, habitat for either of these species is not present at the Air‐
port. However, during preparation of NEPA, the FAA or USFWS may request field surveys to document
the presence or absence of these species. There are no areas of designated critical habitat within the
vicinity of the Airport.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, POLLUTION PREVENTION, AND SOLID WASTE
Federal, state, and local laws regulate hazardous materials use, storage, transport, and disposal. These
laws may extend to past and future landowners of properties containing these materials. In addition,
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