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Rifle Gravel Pit #1 January 2020 <br /> 9.0 Exhibit H Wildlife Information <br /> 9.1 Significant Wildlife Resources on Affected Lands <br /> There are no significant wildlife resources on potentially affected lands. The site supports <br /> seasonal, low-level big game use, and typical use patterns of mesic shrublands and <br /> pasturelands. <br /> 9.2 Threatened/ Endangered Species on Affected Lands <br /> Nine federally listed species were evaluated for potential impacts resulting from this project, <br /> per the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Threatened and Endangered species list <br /> (IPaC November 7, 2019). Based on this analysis, the USFWS identified the Mexican <br /> spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), bonytail <br /> chub (Gila elegans), Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub (Gila <br /> cypha), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), greenback cutthroat trout (Oncorhychus <br /> clarkii stomias), Debeque phacelia (Phacelia submutica), and Ute ladies'-tresses orchid <br /> (Spiranthes diluvialis). The project location is outside of all proposed and final critical <br /> habitats of the nine listed species. <br /> 9.2.1 Mexican spotted owl <br /> The project area occurs outside the range of the Mexican spotted owl; the project area <br /> contains no mature conifers or steep-walled canyons and is not in proximity to any such <br /> habitat. Therefore, no nesting or foraging habitat will be directly or indirectly impacted. <br /> Because the project will not directly or indirectly impact habitats, and is relatively far from <br /> potentially occupied habitats, there is no anticipated direct, indirect or cumulative impacts to <br /> habitats. This project will have No Effect to the owl or its Critical Habitat(s). <br /> 9.2.2 Yellow-billed cuckoo <br /> The project area occurs within the range of the yellow-billed cuckoo. The cuckoo prefers to <br /> forage in open woodlands with an understory of dense vegetation, especially near water. <br /> Nesting habitat is invariably riparian woodlands, particularly those with an intact (i.e., <br /> ungrazed) understory. Nests are typically placed in dense patches of broad-leaved <br /> deciduous trees, usually with a relatively thick understory. <br /> The project area does contain marginal foraging habitat for the cuckoo in the small areas <br /> dominated by woody vegetation. There is no suitable nesting habitat on the property since <br /> no area of continuous cottonwood canopy or dense willows are present. It is expected that <br /> all woody vegetation currently on the property would be removed in the process of mining, <br /> including the removal of several mature cottonwood trees and a small area of riparian <br /> woodland habitats. The property contains approximately 10 mature cottonwoods that would <br /> be removed, but the cottonwoods are widely separated. There are no known nests in the <br /> surrounding region, although the Colorado River corridor does contain extensive <br /> cottonwoods with the proper biologic and hydrologic conditions to support nesting and brood <br /> rearing. <br /> In summary, the property contains limited marginal foraging habitat for the species but no <br /> nesting habitat. That foraging habitat would be lost in the process of developing the mine. <br /> The vegetation removal should be completed outside of the summer season (May 15— <br /> 30 <br />