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A TRUE COPY <br />CERTIFICATION ON LAST PAGE <br />RYAN L. BUTLER, CLERK <br />Ecological Associates. Inc. — Scope of Work and Cost Proposal 2 <br />schedule, as well as field survey schedules, will be created and maintained throughout <br />the life of the project. All equipment and supplies necessary to successfully implement <br />this Scope of Work are available. <br />Task 3: Daily Sea Turtle Monitoring and Data Management (FDEP Specific <br />Condition 11) <br />Following completion of construction or beginning on March 1, 2025 (whichever is <br />later), EAI will conduct daily morning sea turtle nesting surveys of the Project Area <br />and a suitable Reference Area (a nearby beach with similar characteristics that is <br />outside of the influence of the project). Surveys will continue through November 11, <br />2025, or until 15 days without a crawl in the Project or Reference Areas, whichever is <br />earlier. If there is a fifteen -day period where no crawls are documented in the Project <br />or Reference Areas, EAI will request a waiver from the USFWS and FWC to <br />discontinue daily monitoring. If permission is granted, EAI will then perform surveys <br />three days per week to monitor marked nests. <br />Surveys will commence within 30 minutes of sunrise. Monitoring will be performed <br />by EAI staff either on foot or using ATVs. All emergences (turtle crawls) apparent <br />from the previous night will be interpreted to determine which species of turtle came <br />ashore and whether it nested. Crawls will be denoted as being above or below the <br />previous high tide line. The approximate geographic location of each crawl will be <br />determined by GPS (sub -meter accuracy). In addition to segregating crawls into nesting <br />and non -nesting emergences (false crawls), each false crawl will be assigned to one of <br />the following categories denoting the stage at which the nesting attempt was <br />abandoned: no digging, abandoned body pit, or abandoned egg cavity. Any obstacles <br />encountered by turtles during their crawls will be documented. <br />Disorientation Reporting. During the course of daily monitoring, any evidence of <br />hatchling misorientation or disorientation from either marked or unmarked nests will <br />be documented using FWC's electronic Marine Turtle Hatchling Disorientation <br />Incident Report Form. Based on track evaluations, an estimate of the number of <br />hatchlings disoriented will be recorded and light sources potentially responsible for the <br />disorientation identified. Information concerning each incident will be forwarded by <br />email to Indian River County on a weekly basis so appropriate remedial action may be <br />taken. <br />Stranding and Salvage. A requirement of FWC sea turtle permit holders conducting <br />nesting surveys is to respond to the stranding of sick, injured, and dead sea turtles <br />within their survey area. These animals are examined, and if alive, transported to state - <br />approved care facilities. A standard Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage data form will <br />be completed and submitted for each stranded animal encountered by EAI. This <br />information will be transmitted to FWC in accordance with established guidelines. <br />State and Federal Authorizations. All sea turtle monitoring and related activities will <br />be performed under FWC Marine Turtle Permit #261 issued by FWC to EAI Co- <br />