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ERC Strear Soil Mine <br /> Preliminary Environmental Assessment <br /> Common Name Scientific Name Status* Determination <br /> Burrowing owl Athene cuniculario ST NO TAKE <br /> *Status key:ST—State listed as threatened;SE—State listed as endangered <br /> Species Not Present <br /> The T&E species indicated as "NOT PRESENT" are identified to occur within the state (CPW 2023b). <br /> However, these species are not known to exist within the specific vicinity of the survey area and/or have <br /> specific habitat requirements (i.e., elevation range) that are not common in the vicinity of the survey <br /> area (CPW 2023b). <br /> The survey area does not contain the specific habitat characteristics necessary to support the species <br /> listed above. These species and/or critical habitat are not present within the survey area. Therefore, any <br /> future land use changes will have no effect on the species, their habitats, or proposed or designated <br /> critical habitat. <br /> Species Potentially within Range <br /> The state listed T&E species indicated as "NO TAKE" are identified to occur or historically occur within <br /> Weld County. The survey area is located within the potential known range for these species. Further <br /> analysis was conducted to determine if the species or habitat has the potential to exist on the survey <br /> area considering site-specific conditions and characteristics. A brief explanation is provided as to the <br /> species life cycle, habitat requirements and potential occurrence within the survey area. <br /> BURROWING OWL (ATHENE CUNICULARIA) <br /> The burrowing owl (Owl) is listed as a state threatened species in Colorado. The Owl is small (length of <br /> 24 centimeters), long-legged, boldly spotted, and barred with brown and white. The Owl is a breeding <br /> species across the plains of eastern Colorado however rarely winters in the state. Nesting habitat is in <br /> burrows, especially in both active and inactive prairie dog colonies, located in grasslands, mountain <br /> parks, well-drained steppes, deserts, prairies, and agricultural lands from late March through October. <br /> The Owl can usually be observed on low perches such as fence posts, dirt mounds or the ground. Clutch <br /> size of this Owl averages six to seven and incubation lasts up to 30 days. The owlets usually run and <br /> forage at 4 weeks and fly at 6 weeks. Primary threats to existence of this species are habitat loss due to <br /> intensive agriculture, habitat degradation and fragmentation due to control of burrowing mammals and <br /> predation by cats and dogs. <br /> • No Owl individuals were observed on or surrounding the survey area, nor were there any prairie dog <br /> colonies observed. Any future land use changes on the survey area would result in "No Take" of this <br /> species or potential habitat of this species. <br /> 7.0 HIGH PRIORITY HABITAT AREAS <br /> CPW has recently developed Recommendations to Avoid and Minimize Impacts to Wildlife from Land <br /> Use Development in Colorado in July (CPW 2023). CPW is a recommending agency in regard to energy <br /> and land use development, however, CPW has no regulatory authority over these processes (CPW <br /> 2024c). The recommendations identify High Priority Habitat (HPH) by species and provide general <br /> recommendations related to disturbances. These recommendations were originally developed <br /> 12 <br />