2018-09-04_PERMIT FILE - C1980007 ‎(19)‎

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 9/4/2018
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2012 Lease Modification Area Habitat and Wildlife Report
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

roads. One must also assume that limiting themselves to roads or snowmobile trails they
reduce their chances of encountering prey.
There is no denning habitat in the project area. Telemetry data collected by CPW on
collared reintroduced lynx from 1999 to 2011 have shown the animals den at 11,000 feet
and higher elevations in Englemann spruce stands. The upper limits of exploration
activity in the LMA will occur at elevations 9600 feet or lower.
Other lynx prey are red squirrels which are found in the area. Red squirrel tracks in the
area surveyed were always low indicating there is not a large population in the area. Also,
track data indicated that American marten are common in the area. Marten are very
effective at preying on red squirrels. This reduces the chances for any lynx that may come
through the area of being able to take enough squirrels in the winter to offset the lack of
snowshoe hares as a food source.
The USFS and FWS have determined in the Biological Assessment & Biological Opinion
for this project that activities associated with the exploration program in the LMA "may
affect, but is not likely to adversely affect " the Canada lynx. The data from the three
winters of habitat and prey base surveys and the small amount of disturbance that will
occur support this position.
SENSITIVE SPECIES
USFS REGION 2 SENSITIVE SPECIES
The USDA Forest Service Region 2 lists a number of terrestrial vertebrates, fish,
invertebrates and plant species, which occur, potentially occur, or habitat for which
occurs in the GMUG as sensitive. A review of information on these species shows that
for 17 species either they are known to occur or suitable habitat exists in this portion of
the Gunnison National Forest (Table 2) The purpose of this section is to analyze the
effects of the proposed project, to determine if the proposed activities are likely to cause a
loss of viability or a trend toward Federal listing under the Endangered Species Act for
any of these species.
TABLE 2: USFS REGION 2 SENSITIVE SPECIES
Project Name: Mountain Coal Company, LLC Lease Modification Areas
Species
Habitat Present
Species Present
Terrestrial vertebrates:
American marten
Yes
Yes
American peregrine falcon
No nesting habitat
Yes
Northern goshawk
Yes
Yes
Flammulated owl
Yes
Unknown
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