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GCC Energy, LLC
<br />mile west of the exploration area. All drainages are characterized as intermittent or ephemeral; several
<br />have stock ponds associated with them. Proposed drill holes would be located no closer than 200 feet
<br />from intermittent channels. No wetlands occur at any of the proposed drill site locations.
<br />Other Physical Features—Bolls
<br />Soils occurring within the exploration drill sites are listed in Table 1.
<br />Table 1. Soils Characteristics at Proposed Exploration Drill Site Locations.
<br />Vegetative Cover
<br />Dominant vegetative communities occurring within the exploration area are classified as Rocky Mountain
<br />Gambel oak -mixed montane shrublands and Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine woodland. Other vegetative
<br />communities occurring within the exploration area include: Rocky Mountain montane mesic mixed
<br />conifer forest and woodland and Colorado Plateau pinon juniper woodland. Dominant vegetation
<br />occurring at majority of the proposed drill locations include piiion (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus
<br />osteosperma) with understory species such as: gambei oak (Quercus gambelit), snowberry (Gaultheria),
<br />black sagebrush (Artemisia nova), squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), and buckwheat (Eriogonum).
<br />Threatened and Endangered Species
<br />Under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, the BLM is required to consult with
<br />the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on any proposed action decision, which may affect federally
<br />listed threatened, endangered, or candidate species or species proposed for listing. According to the
<br />USFWS, there are 13 federally listed threatened, endangered, and candidate species with the potential to
<br />occur in La Plata County, Colorado. No habitat for any of the 13 listed species occurs at any of the 24
<br />drill sites. However, suitable habitat for the federally threatened Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) occurs
<br />Federal Coal Exploration Plan
<br />May 2014
<br />6
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<br />GCC 14-01; GCC 14-02, GCC -14-13
<br />Archuleta -Sanchez complex, 12 to
<br />Moderate water erosion, low wind
<br />65% slopes
<br />erosion
<br />GCC 14-03, GCC -14-09, GCC -14-10,
<br />Zau stony loam, 3 to 9% slopes
<br />Low water erosion, Low wind
<br />GCC -14-11, GCC -14-12, GCC -14-14,
<br />erosion
<br />GCC -14-16, GCC -14-18, GCC -14-19,
<br />GCC -14-20, GCC -14-21, GCC -14-23,
<br />GCC -14-24
<br />GCC -14-04
<br />Hesperus loam, 3 to 12% slopes
<br />Moderate water erosion, moderate
<br />wind erosion
<br />GCC -14-05
<br />Glodvale very stony fine sandy
<br />Low water erosion, low wind
<br />loam, 15 to 65% slopes
<br />erosion
<br />GCC -14-06, GCC -14-08
<br />Coni loam, 4 to 25% slopes
<br />Moderate water erosion, low wind
<br />erosion
<br />GCC -14-07, GCC -14-22, GCC 14-17
<br />Fortwingate-Rock outcrop complex,
<br />No rating
<br />6 to 25% slopes
<br />GCC -14-15
<br />Valto-Rock outcrop complex, 12 to
<br />No rating
<br />65% slopes
<br />Vegetative Cover
<br />Dominant vegetative communities occurring within the exploration area are classified as Rocky Mountain
<br />Gambel oak -mixed montane shrublands and Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine woodland. Other vegetative
<br />communities occurring within the exploration area include: Rocky Mountain montane mesic mixed
<br />conifer forest and woodland and Colorado Plateau pinon juniper woodland. Dominant vegetation
<br />occurring at majority of the proposed drill locations include piiion (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus
<br />osteosperma) with understory species such as: gambei oak (Quercus gambelit), snowberry (Gaultheria),
<br />black sagebrush (Artemisia nova), squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), and buckwheat (Eriogonum).
<br />Threatened and Endangered Species
<br />Under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, the BLM is required to consult with
<br />the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on any proposed action decision, which may affect federally
<br />listed threatened, endangered, or candidate species or species proposed for listing. According to the
<br />USFWS, there are 13 federally listed threatened, endangered, and candidate species with the potential to
<br />occur in La Plata County, Colorado. No habitat for any of the 13 listed species occurs at any of the 24
<br />drill sites. However, suitable habitat for the federally threatened Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) occurs
<br />Federal Coal Exploration Plan
<br />May 2014
<br />6
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