An area of influence, as defined in the previous sections, was used to perform a desktop analysis to identify environmental impacts within the US 27 corridor and adjacent communities, herein referred to as study region in this section.

Natural

The natural resources analysis performed in the study region included a review for the presence of federal and/or state protected species and their suitable habitats, Essential Fish Habitats, wetlands, Outstanding Florida Waters, Wild and Scenic Rivers, floodplains and Coastal Barrier Resources.

Thirteen federally listed species, ten state listed species and two managed, non-listed species were determined to be present or have likelihood for utilization of habitats within or adjacent to the study region. The study region overlaps designated United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) critical habitat for the Florida Bonneted Bat and the West Indian Manatee. Table 7, Table 8 and Table 9 list the federal, state and non-listed species respectively, which may utilize habitats within or adjacent to the US 27 corridor.

Table 7: Federally Protected Species

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status

MAMMAL

Florida Bonneted Bat Eumops floridanus Endangered

Florida Panther Felis concolor coryi Endangered

West Indian Manatee Trichechus manatus Threatened

BIRD

Audubon's Crested Caracara Polyborus plancus audubonii Threatened

Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum floridanus Endangered

Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis Endangered

Florida Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma coerulescens Threatened

Everglades Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus Endangered

Eastern Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis ssp. Jamaicaensis Threatened

Wood Stork Mycteria americana Threatened

REPTILE

Bluetail Mole Skink Eumeces egregius lividus Threatened

Sand Skink Neoseps reynoldsi Threatened

Eastern Indigo Snake Drymarchon couperi Threatened

Table 8: State Protected Species

FDOT

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