The types of infrastructure and activities anticipated for NEON deployment (flux towers, research staff access, experiments) are being incorporated into an ongoing NEPA Environmental Assessment for the USFS Beaver Creek Watershed Management Plan. We have used information from this planning process to avoid threatened and endangered species habitat areas and to avoid intensive management and timber resource use areas (Figures 2 & 3 ). Because anticipated NEON infrastructure needs are being considered in the current NEPA Environmental Assessment, NEPA compliance for deployment should not be problematic. We have avoided areas of Mexican spotted owl (MSO) habitat (threatened species) by large margins in our selection of a suitable location for the proposed core site. One of the primary concerns for negatively impacting MSO is human-generated noise disturbance that could potentially disrupt reproductive success. A study conducted by Delaney, et al. (1999) in the Lincoln National Forest in south central New Mexico evaluated the effects of helicopter and chainsaw noise on MSO. The study reported no spotted owl flushes when noise stimuli were >105 m away and that manipulated and non-manipulated nest sites did not differ in reproductive success or the number of young fledged. All of the proposed BioMesoNet sites would be located well beyond the 105m threshold (at > 500 m) from MSO Protected Activity Centers. Treatment areas for promoting improved goshawk habitat (species of concern, not threatened or endangered) are nearby, but are not included in the proposed core site or experimental set-aside. There are no known archeological concerns on the site. The power line extension would follow an existing road to reduce environmental/archeological impacts. The one significant, and only known, wetland on the site is the seasonal creek traversing the site. The site access road does not cross this creek; hence it will be easy to avoid any disturbance to wetlands during infrastructure construction. The main visual concern is anticipated to be with lighting. Hence, exterior, night-time lighting will be minimized and shielded in accordance with "dark-skies" recommendations.

        A NEPA Environmental Assessment was also recently completed by the USFS with the Lowell Observatory for the Happy Jack Ranger Station and the Discovery Channel Telescope construction on a nearby hill. This Ranger Station is the proposed NEON Administrative Site and thus it is worth noting that no environmental or historical issues were found to prevent the development of scientific and related support infrastructure at these sites.

              
Figure 2.                                                                                                  Figure 3.