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FWS /ES /FS /SL -6 <br />UT -93 -F -015 <br />Mail Stop 60120 <br />Ira W. Hatch, District Ranger <br />Manti -LaSal National Forest <br />Ferron Ranger District <br />P.O. Box 310 <br />Ferron, Utah 84523 <br />Dear Mr. Hatch: <br />In accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as <br />amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seMc.), and the Interagency Cooperation Regulations <br />(50 CFR 402), this transmits the Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) final <br />biological opinion for impacts to federally listed endangered species for <br />PacifiCorp's Trail Mountain 1993 Coal Exploration Project. This opinion is <br />provided to you as the lead Federal Agency regarding Section 7 consultation on <br />this project. Copies of this opinion should be provided to the applicant <br />because the Service has incorporated reasonable and prudent alternatives that <br />should be included as conditions of any permits issued by the Forest Service <br />for this project. <br />Reference is made to your August 10, 1993, letter requesting initiation of <br />formal consultation for the subject project. The Service concurs that the <br />annual depletion of water from the Colorado River Basin "may affect" the <br />endangered Colorado squawfish (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub (Gila <br />c ha), bonytail chub (Gila ele ans), and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen <br />texanus). Further, the Service has determined that the water depletion will <br />result in the destruction or adverse modification of proposed critical habitat <br />and has included a conference opinion to address this issue. <br />BIOLOGICAL OPINION <br />Based upon the best scientific and commercial information that is currently <br />available, it is the Service's biological opinion that the proposed project, <br />as described below, is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the <br />Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, bonytail chub, and razorback sucker. The <br />Service has developed reasonable and prudent alternatives to avoid the <br />likelihood of jeopardy to the endangered fishes. <br />