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;~. <br />r. <br />,_ <br />IN REPLY REFER l0: <br />~ III IIIIIIIIIIIII III , , <br />• <br />"'-i1Fl'~'1-t1 <br />United States Department of the Interior .~tf, Qs 199G <br />FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE <br />Mountain-Prairie Region -~ <br />ES/OSM <br />GJ-6-CO-96-F-011 <br />CO/KS/NE/UT <br />MAILING ADDRESS: <br />Post Office Box 25486 <br />Denver Federal Center <br />Denver, Colorado 80225-0486 <br />STREET LOCATION: <br />134 Union Blvd. <br />Lakewood,Colotado 80228-1807 <br />SEP 31996, <br />Memorandum ~ ~ _ O ~ O 5 . <br />To: Assistant Director, Western Support Center, ~f~ce of Surface <br />Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement, Denver, Colorado <br />Attention: Acting Chief, Biological Sciences Branch <br />From: Regional Director, Region 6, <br />Fish and Wildlife Service, <br />Denver, Colorado <br />Subject: Final Biological Opinion for Bowie No. 2 Mine, Bowie, Colorado <br />In accordance with section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as <br />amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et sec.), and the Interagency Cooperation Regulations <br />(50 CFR 402), this transmits the Fish and Wildlife Service's final biological <br />opinion for impacts to federally listed endangered species for the Bowie No. 2 <br />Coal Mine. Copies of this opinion should be provided to the applicant because <br />the Service has incorporated reasonable and prudent alternatives that should <br />be included as conditions of any permits issued by the Office of Surface <br />Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement for this project. <br />Reference is made to your July 17, 1996, biological assessment and request for <br />initiation of formal consultation for the subject project. The Service <br />concurs that the annual depletion of water from the Colorado River Basin "may <br />affect" the endangered Colorado squawfish (Ptvchocheilus Lucius), humpback <br />chub (Gila cvpha), bonytail (Gila eleaans), and razorback sucker (Xvrauchen <br />texanus) and "may affect" their critical habitat. The Service also concurs <br />with your "no effect" determination for the bald eagle IHaliaeetus <br />leucoceohalus), peregrine falcon (Falco perearinus), and southwestern willow <br />flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus). <br />BIOLOGICAL OPINION <br />Based upon the best scientific and commercial information that is currently <br />available, it is the Service's biological opinion that the proposed project, <br />as described below, is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the <br />Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, bonytail, and razorback sucker and result <br />in the destruction or adverse modification of their critical habitat. The <br />Service has developed reasonable and prudent alternatives to avoid the <br />likelihood of jeopardy to the endangered fishes and to avoid destruction or <br />adverse modification of their critical habitat. <br />