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Scats: 2.04.11 <br />In addition, U.S. Fish and Wddlife Service (USFWS) consultation has occurred on consumptive use <br />and depletion of flows from the North Fork of the Gunnison River in conjunction with DMG and <br />related Office of Surface Muting and Reclamation (OSM) pertrutting actions and approvak. <br />Potential impacts of mine water discharge from the Sanborn Creek Mute were evaluated by the <br />Colorado School of Mines in 1994. The resulting, "Aquatic Impairment Study of the Sanborn Creek <br />Mine Discharge", concluded that mine discharge would have rrtinimal effect on stream <br />macroinvertibrates and little, if any, effect on the overall food base for fish or use of the river for <br />fishing. Potential impacts associated with leasing and development of the Elk Creek Tract Federal <br />Coal Lease were ako identified and evaluated in the North Fork Coal Leasing Environmental Impact <br />Statement (BIM/USFS, 9/99). <br />Threatened. Endangered. or Sensitive Animal Species <br />Based on recent consultation with both the CROW and USFWS, the only Federallglisted <br />Threatened, Endangered, or Sensitive fish or wildlife species occurring in or potentially impacted by <br />OMI's ongoing and proposed future mining and related operations are the bald eagle, swallowtail <br />flycatcher, Colorado squawfish (pike-minnow), humpback chub, and razorback sucker. Bald eagles <br />are known to winter on the Nonh Fork and may use the Permit and adjacent areas for opportunistic <br />hunting. Due to the success of recovery efforts, including bans on DDT and other persistent <br />pesticides, populations of bald eagles have increased dramatically resulting in recent de-listing, so this <br />species is no longer a concern. The swallowail flycatcher has a preference for riparian habitat, and <br />while this species may potentially occur in the general area, no suitable habitat has been identified <br />within the Permit area and field reconnaissance has not resulted in anyevidence or observation of this <br />species in the Pemut area. The noted listed fish species are known to occur in the main stem of the <br />Gunnison River but have not been observed in the North Fork The confluence of the Noah Fork <br />• with the Gunnison River is approttimately 28 miles to the west of the Permit area and consultation <br />with the USFWS and the aquatic impatrment study have confimted that OMI's activities would not <br />result in downstream depletion or impartment which could adversely of fea these species. <br />2.04.12 -Prime Farmland Investigation <br />As discussed in Settion 2.04.3, Site Description and Land Use Information, coal mining operations <br />were initiated in the Permit and adjacent areas in approttimately 1902 and the mines have been in <br />almost continuous operation through the present. Because all mining has involved underground <br />operations, associated surface disturbance has been minimal. The major portion of the Pemtit area, <br />therefore, consists of undisturbed lands utilized for limited grazing and dispersed wildlife habitat and <br />recreation. Location, [errain, and environmental factors limit existing and potential alternative land <br />use capabilities. Productivity or productivity potential of the current disturbed areas and surrounding <br />undisturbed lands u reflected by existing vegetation communities found in valley, drainage, sideslope, <br />and ridgeline areas and u limited primarily by the semi-arid climate, steep hillslopes, and poorly <br />developed shallow soils. There are currently no intensive agricultural land uses in the Permit or <br />adjacent areas. While a prime farmlands evaluation has not been done for the mine permit area, there <br />are a number of factors that generally preclude consideration of thu area for prime famtlands <br />designation: <br />1) There are no lands within the mine permit area that are or have been historically used as <br />cropland. The steepness of the terrain (greater than 6 percent) and stoniness of the soil <br />over most of the permit area generally preclude agricultural activities <br />2) There u a lack of available water due to the semi-arid clirrtate, limited surface flows in <br />area drainages, and elevation of most of the area relative to the North Fork (no imgation <br />or subimgation) <br />PR04 2.04-108 Revised August 2000 <br />