2023-10-03_REVISION - M1977344 (29)

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Bear Creek Quarry (M-1977-344) Permit Amendment Holcim US Inc, 3500 Highway 120, Florence, CO 81226 Phone (719) 288-1443 www.holcim.us 70 2.8.2 Eastern Black Rail Colorado Parks and Wildlife documented in 2016 that the species is found in dense emergent vegetation, with a mix of new and residual growth. Also, Colorado-based research (USFWS 2023b) defined black rail habitat as emergent marsh wetlands that consisted of cattails and other wetland species, like hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus). The Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary is within the known range of the Eastern black rail. However, very little, if any, habitat for this species can be found within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary. While there are emergent wetland plant species found in the area, they are located in and along Red Creek and not in any emergent marshes. The overstory habitat favored by Eastern black rails is absent in these areas as well. Therefore, the likelihood of Eastern black rails being present within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary is very low. 2.8.3 Greenback Cutthroat Trout Greenback cutthroat trout are cold water fish belonging to the trout, salmon and whitefish family. This species inhabits cold water streams and cold-water lakes with adequate stream spawning habitat present during spring. In general, trout require different habitat types for different life stages: juvenile (protective cover and low velocity flow, in side channels and small tributaries); spawning (riffles with clean gravels); over-winter (deep water with low velocity flow and protective cover); and adult (juxtaposition of slow water areas for resting and fast water areas for feeding, with protective cover from boulders, logs, overhanging vegetation or undercut banks). Both water quality and quantity are important. Greenbacks, like other cutthroat trout, generally require clear, cold, well-oxygenated water. The range of the greenback cutthroat trout does not extend into Fremont County, but the range does fall within Pueblo County, through which the Arkansas River flows. The only waterbody of any substantial size within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary is Red Creek. Red Creek i n this area does not have enough water flow to support greenback cutthroat trout nor do the habitats exist in Red Creek that are needed to support the different life stages of the species, as described above. Therefore, the likelihood of Greenback cutthroat trout being present within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary is extremely low. 2.8.4 Monarch Butterfly The monarch butterfly is not listed as an endangered or threatened species yet and is therefore not afforded the protections of the Endangered Species Act. However, a few milkweed plants of three different species (zyzotes, broadleaf and narrowleaf) were observed during the vegetation surveys. Therefore, it is possible that monarch butterflies could be present within the Mining Permit and Affecte d Area Boundary, but it is unlikely that they would be present in any large numbers. The Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper, which relies on citizen science data, has milkweed locations recorded in the area north of Lake Pueblo State Park and east of Florence, CO, but no recorded sightings of monarch butterflies. The closest monarch butterfly sightings were recorded in Canon City and in the northern area of Pueblo. 2.8.5 Bald and Golden Eagles According to the online Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird map (https://ebird.org/map), both bald and golden eagles are abundant along the Arkansas River and its tributaries, including Hardscrabble Creek which is to the north and east of the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary. Numerous sightings have also been reported along Route 96 which is the closest road south of the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary.