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OSMRE does not have discretion or authority over determining where the Colowyo and Trapper <br /> mined coal would be taken to be combusted. OSMRE also does not have discretion or authority <br /> regarding the manner in which the coal will be combusted. In the past, coal mined at the <br /> Colowyo and Trapper mines has been burned at the Craig Generating Station to produce power. <br /> The decision space in between OSMRE's plan approval and the combustion of the coal at the <br /> Craig Generating Station may make the causal connection somewhat less than reasonably <br /> certain. However, OSMRE has assumed(for analysis)the causal connection for indirect effects. <br /> The Service therefore,will base our analysis on that assumption. <br /> Consultation History <br /> On February 28, 2013, OSMRE submitted a consultation request and BA for a 5-year permit <br /> renewal for Trapper Mine (SMCRA Permit C-1981-010) Permit Renewal Application Number 6 <br /> (RN-06). The BA determined that the endangered fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin would <br /> be adversely affected by water depletions (amount updated), it contained"no effect" <br /> determinations for the Canada lynx,Mexican spotted owl, and Ute ladies'-tresses orchid, a <br /> determination of"may affect,not likely to adversely affect the continued existence of'the North <br /> American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), <br /> and made a determination that mining activities would"not affect the continued existence of the <br /> black-footed ferret and western yellow-billed cuckoo. In response,the Service issued a <br /> Biological Opinion on June 21, 2013 (TAILS 06E24100-2013-F-0098), that addressed a revised <br /> assessment of 160.1 acre-feet/year(AF/yr) of water depletions from the Yampa River. No new <br /> water depletions have been identified as part of the current consultation and are not addressed <br /> further in this BO. <br /> On June 15, 2009, OSMRE submitted a consultation request and BA documenting a 94.8 AF/yr <br /> net water depletion for a mining plan modification for Permit C-1981-010 at the Trapper Mine, <br /> which would result from an additional 312 acres of mining disturbance. The BA also contained <br /> "no effect"determinations for the black-footed ferret, Canada lynx,Mexican spotted owl, and <br /> Ute ladies'-tresses orchid. The Service issued a Biological Opinion on September 17, 2009, <br /> (TAILS 65413-2009-F-0179), that addressed the 94.8 AF/yr of water depletions from the Yampa <br /> River for the expansion of mining into the additional 312 acres within Trapper Mine's 10,382.3 <br /> acre permit area. <br /> 1.0 PROPOSED ACTION (as described in the BA) <br /> The Trapper surface coal mine is located in Moffat County, Colorado, approximately 6 miles <br /> south of the Town of Craig, Colorado on State of Colorado, and private lands. The Trapper mine <br /> approved Colorado Division of Reclamation and Mining Safety (CDRMS)permit area <br /> encompasses approximately 11,157 acres, of which approximately 2,423 acres are part of the two <br /> federal coal leases under analysis in this BO (Federal coal leases C-079641 and C-07519). The <br /> other acres within the permit area have already been mined, contain non-Federal coal, or are not <br /> currently under consideration for mining; thus, those acres are not part of the proposed action <br /> and will not be considered further in this BO. <br /> 2 <br />