2023-08-03_PERMIT FILE - M2023025 (42)

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ERC Bernhardt Site Threatened-Endangered Species and General Wildlife Screening and fly at 6 weeks.Primary threats to existence of this species are habitat loss due to intensive agriculture, habitat degradation and fragmentation due to control of burrowing mammals and predation by cats and dogs. • No Owl individuals were observed on or surrounding the survey area.The survey area is located within the overall range of the black-tailed prairie dog; however, no black-tailed prairie dog colonies are located within the survey area. Much of the land within the survey area is regularly grazed which further limits the potential use of the survey area by this species. 8.0 SUMMARY ERC has conducted this screening for federal and state listed threatened and endangered species and general wildlife for the approximately 134-acre survey area. The following provides key items identified as part of this report: 1. Two primary land use class/vegetation cover type exists within the survey area. Habitat within the survey area is characterized as the Great Plains Ruderal Grassland and Shrubland (98%)and disturbed (2%). Historic land use for agricultural practices has led to degradation of the native vegetation community. 2. Generally,there are features on the survey area and the surrounding area that provide general habitat for local songbirds, raptors, and small to mid-size mammals. However, habitat within the survey area is somewhat degraded and of lower ecological value from a wildlife perspective due to historic and current land use for agriculture,which has restricted overall growth and establishment of vegetation. The South Platte River and adjacent eastern cottonwood floodplain and woodland, provides suitable habitat for wildlife species and MBTA species. The South Platte River and associated vegetative community will not be impacted by the proposed project. 3. Non-raptor birds No non-raptor migratory bird nests were observed within the survey area. However prior to vegetation removal a nest survey should be completed to ensure that no nests have become established within the survey area and active nests, if any, are not disturbed. Non-eagle Raptors No non-eagle raptor nests were observed and no CPW mapped non-eagle raptor nest protection zones are located within the survey area (CPW 2023a). However, nest activity status can vary seasonally and from year-to-year. Future land use changes may require additional nest surveys (generally between February 1 and September 15 (CPW 2020))to determine activity status within to% mile of the survey area to ensure compliance with CPW recommendations. Eagles CPW SAM data identifies a bald eagle nest listed as"destroyed" being directly northeast of the survey area. Per CPW monitoring logs, the eagle nest has been inactive from 2019-2021, and destroyed in 2022. A field visit by ERC on January 25, 2023 confirmed the identified nest no longer exists and the nest area is no longer being utilized with no efforts by eagles to rebuild the nest.Therefore,the nest site and the survey area is not subject to any restriction per CPW protective buffer zone recommendations or USFWS Bald Eagle Protection Act. 4. No federally listed threatened and endangered species and/or habitat protected under the ESA were identified within the survey area. The survey area is not within designated critical habitat of any federally listed species. The vegetation community and features within the survey area were 16