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

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ERC Bernhardt Site Threatened-Endangered Species and General Wildlife Screening 1.0INTRODUCTION Ecological Resource Consultants, Inc. (ERC) has prepared this report at the request of the property representative, AT Consulting, Inc. The 134 +/- acre property referred to herein as the Bernhardt Site (survey area) is located near Milliken,Weld County,Colorado.The survey area is under consideration for potential future land use changes which will likely alter a majority of the current survey area landscape; therefore, this report has been prepared to specifically identify potential federal and state listed threatened and endangered species and/or habitat that could exist on or immediately surrounding the survey area.In addition,this report provides a cursory screening of general wildlife use characteristics and existing vegetation community types. This report has been prepared in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Colorado Statute Title 33 and Rule 6.4.8 of the Construction Materials Rules of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board Exhibit H — Wildlife Information. 2.0 GENERAL SURVEY AREA DESCRIPTION The survey area is located approximately 1 mile south of the intersection of Weld County Road 46 and Weld County Road 25 near Milliken in the Wildcat Mound-South Platte River watershed (HUC 101900030604). More specifically,the survey area is located in Section 24,Township 4 North, Range 67 West, in Weld County. Approximate center point of survey area is latitude 40.300711° north, longitude- 104.834787° west. From the intersection of Weld County Road 46 and Weld County Road 25, south of Milliken, the survey area can be accessed by heading south on Weld County Road 25 for approximately 1.15 miles until reaching the survey area from the north. The survey area is comprised of ruderal grasslands with fringes of cottonwood trees and American elm trees along the southern border and adjacent cottonwood trees to the east. Refer to Figure 1 for a location map and a US Geological Survey (USGS)topographic map of the survey area. The survey area is situated within the Great Plains ecoregion (Bailey 1976)at an approximate elevation of 4,722 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). The vicinity of the survey area is comprised of agricultural land to the north, the South Platte River to the east, ruderal grassland and shrubland the south and to the west. The landscape within the survey area is predominantly characterized as the Great Plains Ruderal Grassland and Shrubland (NatureServe 2023). Great Plains Ruderal Grassland and Shrubland The Great Plains Ruderal Grassland and Shrubland is dominated by exotic, invasive grasses and forbs. These species can become abundant after significant disturbance, often associated with agricultural activities, or a disruption of natural disturbance regimes including long-term, heavy grazing, planting exotic species for livestock forage, plowing land and then abandoning it, and a disruption of the natural fire regime. Vegetation cover varies from low to very high. Abundant species vary greatly depending on the geographic location, seed sources, and nature of land use. Within the survey area, the vegetative community generally comprises approximately 50% ground cover mainly consisting of ruderal species including Russian thistle (Solsolo kali) intermixed with cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), smooth brome (Bromus inermis), kochia (Bassia scoporio), prickly lettuce(Lactuca serriolo),field bindweed (Convolvulus orvensis), diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffuso) and pepper weed (Lepidium lotifolium). Disturbed The Disturbed community includes gravel roads, railroads,and barren grounds associated with oil and gas related activities and contains closely cropped vegetation such as well as vegetation growing in urban 1