2021-02-03_REVISION - M2020008 (4)

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Rifle Gravel Pit #1 January 2021 (Amendment to File No. M-2020-008 9.0 Exhibit H — Wildlife Information 9.1 Significant Wildlife Resources on Affected Lands There are no significant wildlife resources on potentially affected lands. The site supports seasonal, low-level big game use, and typical use patterns of mesic shrublands and pasturelands. An aquatic resources report and wetland delineation will be submitted to the ACOE in support of a nationwide permit application 39 (NWP 39) for Commercial and Institutional Developments. The NWP 39 application will encompass the initial pit development stages (Stages 1-3) and the dewatering pipeline. 9.1.1 CPW and USFWS Input Colorado Parks and Wildlife and U FWS provided input on the Rifle Pit#1 project as part of the Garfield County Land Use Permitting referral agency process since the January 2020 112 Permit submittal. 9.2 Threatened / Endangered Species on Affected Lands Seven federally listed species were evaluated for potential impacts resulting from this project, per the USFWS Threatened and Endangered species list for the project area (IPaC, September 2020). Based on this analysis, the USFWS identified the following species as having potential to occur within the vicinity of the project: • Birds: yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) • Fishes: bonytail chub (Gila elegans), Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub (Gila cypha), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) • Flowering Plants: Debeque phacelia (Phacelia submutica), Ute ladies'-tresses orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis) Birds: The project area occurs within the range of the yellow-billed cuckoo; however, the project would not impact any mature cottonwoods or riparian woodland habitats. The conditions on the property are generally open pasture and wet meadow/emergent marsh, which are not utilized by the cuckoo, and therefore no nesting or foraging habitat would be directly impacted. The Mexican spotted owl relies on deep shaded canyons, typically with closed canopy forest: there is no habitat for this species in the project area or regional surroundings. Fishes: The Colorado River adjacent to and downstream of the project contains potentially occupied habitat for the four endangered fish species, and designated Critical Habitat for the pikeminnow and razorback sucker is located approximately 5 miles downstream at the Rifle Bridge. The water depletions associated with the project have the potential to impact the four fish species and would trigger consultation requirements with USFWS. There are temporary depletions associated with the operation of the gravel pit, and there are permanent depletions associated with evaporative losses from the reclamation pond. SGM is developing an augmentation plan that would offset both temporary and permanent 34