Townsend’s Ground Squirrel Conservation on the Hanford Site for Calendar Year 2022: Translocation to Support At-Risk Ground Squirrel Populations
The U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) conducts ecological monitoring on the Hanford Site to collect and track data needed to ensure compliance with an array of environmental laws, regulations, and policies governing DOE-RL activities. Ecological monitoring data provide baseline information about the plants, animals, and habitat under DOE-RL stewardship at the Hanford Site required for accurate ecological impact assessment decision-making under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). In addition, ecological monitoring helps ensure that DOE-RL, its contractors and other entities conducting activities on the Hanford Site are in compliance with the Hanford Site Comprehensive Land Use Plan (DOE/EIS-0222-F). DOE-RL places priority on monitoring those plant and animal species or habitats with specific regulatory protections or requirements; or that are rare and/or declining (federal or state listed endangered, threatened, or sensitive species); or of significant interest to federal, state, or tribal governments or the public.