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EXHIBIT H
<br /> Wildlife Information
<br /> To evaluate potential wildlife habitat impacts from the proposed operation, information was
<br /> gathered from the Natural Diversity Information Source (NDIS) as well as publications
<br /> associated with the Pawnee National Grasslands to the east of the site. The NDIS combines
<br /> plant and animal abundance data from the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) and other
<br /> Colorado natural resource agencies to be used for land-use analyses and decisions.
<br /> The proposed permit area is managed rangeland with mining and railroad activities on nearby
<br /> properties. The site primarily contains upland rangeland with no water, riparian, or wetland
<br /> habitats. Upland areas consist primarily of native and introduced grasses for grazing.
<br /> There are no known federally threatened, endangered, or candidate species within the proposed
<br /> site boundary. Federally threatened, endangered, or candidate species that could potentially be
<br /> found in Weld County or that could potentially be affected by projects in Weld County include
<br /> the Preble's meadow jumping mouse, interior least tern, Mexican piping plover, whooping crane,
<br /> pallid sturgeon, Colorado butterfly plant, Ute ladies'-tresses orchid, and the western prairie
<br /> fringed orchid. Suitable habitat for these species is not noticeable on the site and none of these
<br /> species have been observed or documented within the proposed site boundary.
<br /> Colorado state threatened, endangered, and species of concern that could potentially be found in
<br /> Weld County or that could potentially be affected by projects in Weld County include the black-
<br /> tailed prairie dog, Northern river otter, swift fox, American peregrine falcon, bald eagle,
<br /> ferruginous hawk, greater sandhill crane, long-billed curlew, mountain plover, Western
<br /> burrowing owl, Western snowy plover, plains minnow, suckermouth minnow, brassy minnow,
<br /> common shiner, Iowa darter, stonecat, common garter snake, and Northern leopard frog. For
<br /> many of these species, potentially suitable habitat does not exist within the proposed permit area.
<br /> Potentially suitable habitat does exist within the proposed permit area for mammal and bird
<br /> species such as the black-tailed prairie dog, swift fox, and Western burrowing owl. However,
<br /> burrows that could be associated with these species have not been observed on the proposed site.
<br /> No potential raptor nests were found in the project area.
<br /> Many birds may use habitats similar to those found at the proposed permit site, either year-
<br /> round, seasonally for nesting, or temporarily for roosting during migration. Some of the common
<br /> or abundant species could include robins, orioles, starlings, magpies, longspurs, lark bunting,
<br /> doves, kingbirds, and blackbirds. Because of the lack of open water habitat within and near the
<br /> proposed permit area, shore birds and waterfowl are not likely to be present.
<br /> It could be expected that most mammals common or abundant in Weld County would not be
<br /> found near or within the proposed permit area. Smaller mammals that might be found at the
<br /> proposed project site might include mice, voles, gophers, rabbits, raccoons, and skunks. Some of
<br /> the larger mammals could include both mule and white tailed deer, antelope, coyote, and fox.
<br /> Lazy Two Pit
<br /> DBMS 112 Permit Application Page 17
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