Table 9: Non-Listed Protected Species
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Protection Acts |
|---|---|---|
| BIRD | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Bald Eagle & Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
| MAMMAL | ||
| Florida Black Bear | Ursus americanus floridanus | F.A.C. 68A-4.009 Florida Black Bear Conservation |
Essential Fish Habitat
There is no Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) in the study region.
Wetlands and Other Surface Waters
The study region is in the Kissimmee River and Sarasota Bay-Peace-Myakka Watersheds. A review of the FLUCCS Code Level Two wetlands layer determined that approximately 20% of the study region is wetlands. Table 10 shows a breakdown of the wetlands identified within the study region.
Table 10: FLUCCS Level 2 Wetland Inventory
| FLUCCS Code | Wetland Type | Acres within Study Region | Percentage of Study Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6100 | Wetland Hardwood Forests | 84,056.3 | 8.7% |
| 6200 | Wetland Coniferous Forests | 7,047.8 | 0.7% |
| 6300 | Wetland Forested Mixed | 5,577.2 | 0.6% |
| 6400 | Vegetated Non-Forested Wetlands | 92,896.7 | 9.6% |
| 6500 | Non-Vegetated Wetlands | 639.2 | 0.1% |
| TOTAL | 190,217.3 | 19.7% | |
According to the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), the study region crosses areas designated as Zone AE, Zone A, and Zone X. Zone AE is classified as an area within the 100-year floodplain, subject to having a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding in any given year with base flood elevations being determined. Zone A is an area also classified within the 100-year floodplain, subject to having a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding in any given year, however, base flood elevations have not been determined. Zone X is found outside of the 100-year floodplain, and is an area with minimal flood hazard, subject to having a 0.2% annual chance of flooding in any given year.
The physical resources analysis performed for the study region include a review of noise-sensitive receptors based on current land use, air quality designations and federal and/or state registered contamination sites.
Noise-sensitive receptors in the study region have been identified through aerial photography and land use parcel data. Within the communities of Avon Park, Sebring and Lake Placid in Highlands County, Bowling Green, Wauchula and Zolfo Springs in Hardee County, and Arcadia in DeSoto County. Potential receptors include low and medium density residential areas, businesses, and recreational areas. Low density areas include less than two dwelling units per acre. Medium density areas include two to five dwelling units per acre. These receptors can be grouped into Common Noise Environments (CNEs) which are groups within the same Noise Abatement Criteria (NAC) Activity Category that are exposed to similar noise sources, traffic volumes, traffic mix, speed and topographic features. The NAC are used to evaluate whether noise abatement may be considered for exterior
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