The green sturgeon is the most widely distributed member of the sturgeon family and the most marine-oriented of the sturgeon species. Green sturgeons use nearshore areas from Mexico to the Bering Sea and are common occupants of bays and estuaries along the western coast of the United States (Moyle et al., 1995). Adults in the San Joaquin Delta are reported to feed on benthic invertebrates including shrimp, amphipods and occasionally small fish while juveniles have been reported to feed on opossum shrimp and amphipods (Moyle et al., 1995). Adult green sturgeons migrate into freshwater beginning in late February with spawning occurring in March through July, and peak activity in April and June. After spawning, juveniles remain in fresh and estuarine waters for one to four years and then begin to migrate out to the sea (Moyle et al., 1995). Although green sturgeon are caught and observed in the lower San Joaquin River, spawning is not known to occur within that river. Green sturgeons are uncommon in the Central Bay, and therefore would uncommonly occur in the  Brisbane Lagoon or shoreline areas in San Francisco Bay adjacent to the Project Site (NMFS, 2008).

Page 4.C-36    OSEC-115 [See page 5-322 for the original comment] REVISE the conclusions paragraph as follows:

Conclusions: Special status plant species are assumed to occur within the Project Site onlywhere where suitable conditions occur on Icehouse Hill. Damage to or mortality of special-status plants caused by construction of trails on Icehouse Hill and an anticipated post-construction increase in recreation-related activities including equestrian uses would be a significant impact. Adherence to performance standards during construction and operation of the proposed trails set forth in Mitigation Measures 4.C-1a and 4.C-1b would reduce the impacts on special-status plants to a less-than-significant level.

Page 4.C-37    BCC-107 [See page 5-185 for the original comment] REVISE Mitigation Measure 4.C-1b to read as follows:

Mitigation Measure 4.C-1b. Documented plant occurrences on Icehouse Hill shall be avoided by establishing a buffer zone of no less than 25 feet prior to Project trail construction, or other ground-disturbing activities having the potential to disturb or result in mortality of special-status plant populations. This buffer zone, whose specific width shall be determined based on site-specific analysis of proposed construction techniques and their potential for dust creation, shall be demarcated using flagging, orange fencing, or any other visual barrier between plant populations and the active disturbance footprint. Buffer distances may be increased if hydrology features would be altered as a result of train construction.