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Traffic is not anticipated to be a substantial impact. Roads used for this project will be low -speed <br />routes and public use would be restricted. Roads will also be decommissioned after they are no <br />longer needed, as noted in the lease stipulations. Winter access is not anticipated to be <br />substantially increased over current levels as the area receives little recreational over -the -snow <br />use and maintenance activities should be minimal. <br />Cumulative Effects (ESA) <br />Cumulative effects for the Endangered Species Act include future non-federal actions which may <br />impact this species. Past actions are included in the existing conditions described in this report. <br />Mining activities may occur on private lands adjacent to the lease modification, and may include <br />MDWs and Grazing in this area may contribute to vegetation changes on private lands in the area. <br />However, those lands are already modified through long term human use, and continued grazing <br />is not likely to alter the suitability of lynx habitat in this area from current conditions. Water <br />development in this area (reservoirs and ditches) already exists, and future actions will continue <br />use of existing facilities. Grazing and outfitting impacts are the same as above. Within the past <br />ten years, a total of 2550 acres of vegetation management has occurred in the LAU, with a total of <br />125 acres of habitat rendered or planned to be rendered unsuitable. Other actions are either of <br />insignificant and discountable impacts to lynx or their habitat (road and trail maintenance) or <br />occur on already disturbed sites (special use permits). Recreational activities are not expected to <br />be substantially altered by this project. <br />VIII. Determination <br />Implementation of the project "may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect" the Canada <br />lynx. The "may affect" is based primarily on the loss of suitable habitat in the project. Other <br />impacts such as disturbance during denning or increased mortality risk are insignificant and <br />discountable due to the distance of the project from typical Colorado denning habitat, and the low <br />probability of loss of lynx from traffic or incidental shooting as a result of this project. <br />Sunset Lease Modification Biological Assessment 16 <br />