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EXHIBIT H
<br /> Wildlife Information
<br /> To evaluate potential wildlife habitat impacts from the proposed operation, information was
<br /> gathered from the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP). The CNHP combines plant and
<br /> animal abundance data from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and other Colorado natural
<br /> resource agencies to be used for land-use analyses and decisions. Additional resources included
<br /> publications associated with local development projects, Larimer County Open Space, and the
<br /> CPW Colorado State Wildlife Action Plan.
<br /> The proposed permit area is loosely managed general agricultural land. The site primarily
<br /> contains previously cultivated upland grass lands consisting of native and introduced grasses.
<br /> The proposed project site lacks any water resources, including open water, marshes, or wetlands.
<br /> Trees and shrubs are also not found on the site. The lack of water resources and trees greatly
<br /> restricts the potential for a wide variety of wildlife to be found on the proposed 5J Pit site.
<br /> There are no known federally threatened, endangered, or candidate species within the proposed
<br /> site boundary. Federally threatened, endangered, or candidate species that could potentially be
<br /> found in eastern Larimer County or that could potentially be affected by projects in eastern
<br /> Larimer County include the Preble's meadow jumping mouse, interior least tern, Piping plover,
<br /> Whooping crane, Pallid sturgeon, Arapahoe snowfly, Colorado butterfly plant, Ute ladies'-tresses
<br /> orchid, and the Western prairie fringed orchid. None of these species have been observed or
<br /> documented within the proposed site boundary and potential habitat for these species does not
<br /> existing on the proposed site.
<br /> Colorado state threatened, endangered, and species of concern that could potentially be found in
<br /> eastern Larimer County or that could potentially be affected by projects in eastern Larimer
<br /> County include the black-tailed prairie dog, river otter, swift fox, peregrine falcon, bald eagle,
<br /> black-necked stilt, burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk, long-billed curlew, mountain plover,
<br /> brassy minnow, common shiner, Iowa darter, stonecat, suckermouth minnow, common garter
<br /> snake, and Northern leopard frog. For many of these species, potentially suitable habitat does not
<br /> exist within the proposed amendment area.
<br /> Potentially suitable habitat does exist within the proposed amendment area for mammal and bird
<br /> species such as, the black-tailed prairie dog, swift fox, ferruginous hawk, and burrowing owl.
<br /> Black-tailed prairie dogs and their burrows have not been observed on the proposed site. No
<br /> potential raptor nests were found in or near the project area.
<br /> Many birds may use habitats similar to those found at the proposed project site, either year-
<br /> round, seasonally for nesting, or temporarily for roosting during migration. However, the lack of
<br /> trees and other suitable cover for birds significantly limits use of the property by many species.
<br /> Some of the common or abundant species could include robins, orioles, starlings, swallows,
<br /> magpies, wrens, longspurs, lark bunting, doves, kingbirds, and blackbirds. Because of the lack of
<br /> 5J Pit
<br /> DRMS 112 Permit Application Page 18
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