2020-10-27_PERMIT FILE - C1981035 (20)

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Biological Assessment Federal Coal Lease Modification(COC-62920)and Federal Mine Permit(CO-0106A)Revision and Renewal 5. Species and Critical Habitat Considered The USFWS Information for Planning and Conservation tool was used to review USFWS threatened and endangered species in La Plata County, Colorado; Pueblo County, Colorado; and Bernalillo County, New Mexico (USFWS 2017). Pueblo and Bernalillo counties were queried to assess if species were potentially present in the known areas of coal combustion from GCC owned and operated cement plants. Table 5-1 presents the federally listed species with potential to occur in these counties, and describes each species habitat requirements and whether the habitat is present in the AA. There are 14 federally listed species with potential to occur in the three subject counties. None of the listed species in La Plata County have suitable habitat in the project area or AA, near the King 11 Mine, or along CR 120 north to SH 140. The AA near the mine facility and along CR 120 includes a 2-mile buffer to account for noise, light, activity, and traffic impacts potentially affecting area biological resources. Several riparian obligate species, such as Yellow- billed cuckoo, southwestern willow flycatcher, and New Mexico jumping meadow mouse, are known to occur in La Plata County, with the nearest potential habitats along the La Plata River. The King II Mine is about 4.5 miles from the La Plata River with no noise, air, or human activity impacts from the mine anticipated to affect habitats along the La Plata River. CR 120, at its terminus with SH 140, is approximately 0.3 mile from the La Plata River. Coal trucks turning on to SH 140 are not expect to impact habitats along the La Plata River or listed species potentially present. The Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker are known to occur in the San Juan River downstream of the AA. These species are considered in this analysis due to the small contributions of mercury to the Animas River from combustion of King 11 Mine coal by the D SNGRR. Of the listed species with potential to occur in Pueblo County, Colorado and Bernalillo County, New Mexico, only the Rio Grande silvery minnow and greenback cutthroat trout are brought forward for detailed impact analysis in this BA. These aquatic species are analyzed due to the potential of bioaccumulating mercury from combustion of coal at GCC cement plants. Other listed species with potential to occur within the subject counties, but eliminated from detailed impact consideration, are briefly discussed in the Section 6, Effects Analysis. In general, terrestrial species that are not further analyzed in this BA are eliminated because estimated releases of mercury from combustion during the cement-manufacturing process are too minute to measure any effects on the subject terrestrial species. July 2017 17