Revegetation of habitat at the Bren Tower burn was completed in the spring of 2006. This year a total of 1.89 ha (4.69 ac) of tortoise habitat was disturbed. One site specific revegetation plan was submitted this year as required by the desert tortoise habitat revegetation plan approved in 2004. One desert tortoise was accidentally killed along a paved road. No desert tortoises were accidentally injured or killed, nor were any captured or displaced from project sites. No tortoises were found in or displaced from project areas. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) when conducting work in tortoise habitat. NNSA/NSO must comply with the terms and conditions of a permit (called a Biological Opinion) from the U.S. Twenty one of the 34 projects had sites within the distribution range of the threatened desert tortoise. All flagged burrows were avoided during construction activities. NSTec provided a written summary report of all survey findings and mitigation recommendations, where applicable. Sensitive and protected/regulated species and important biological resources found included: 2 inactive tortoise burrows, 2 western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea), several horses (Equus caballus), 2 active predator burrows, mature Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia), yuccas and cacti and also 1 bird nest (2 eggs), 1 barn owl (Tyto alba) and 2 great-horned owls (Bubo virginianus). A total of 342.1 hectares (ha) (845.37 acres ) was surveyed for more » these projects. Biological surveys for the presence of sensitive and protected/regulated species and important biological resources on which they depend were conducted for 34 projects. The threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is the only species on the NTS protected under the Endangered Species Act. Sensitive and protected/regulated species of the NTS include 44 plants, 1 mollusk, 2 reptiles, over 250 birds, and 26 mammals protected, managed, or considered sensitive as per state or federal regulations and natural resource agencies and organizations. Program activities included: (a) biological surveys at proposed construction sites, (b) desert tortoise compliance, (c) ecosystem mapping and data management, (d) sensitive plant species monitoring, (e) sensitive and protected/regulated animal monitoring, (f) habitat monitoring, (g) habitat restoration monitoring, and (h) monitoring of the Nonproliferation Test and Evaluation Complex (NPTEC). This report summarizes the program's activities conducted by National Security Technologies LLC (NSTec) during the Calendar Year 2006. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO), monitors the ecosystem of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and ensures compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to NTS biota. The Ecological Monitoring and Compliance program (EMAC), funded through the U.S.
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