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creek survey information has been collected. Fishing in this area <br />• is considered "average" by DOW until a 1988 fish kill. At this <br />time the DOW upgraded the fishery to "excellent" (Holder 1988). <br />Although no new data has been obtained, Basin Resources monitors <br />any mine discharges into the river. Therefore, sufficient <br />information exists to assess any potential impacts to the fishery. <br />No observations of fish or invertebrate populations were made <br />during the 1984 site reconnaissance due to ice conditions. <br />The mine area is within the range of five mammal, three <br />bird, and one fish species classified as threatened and endangered <br />by the Federal Government or the State of Colorado or by both. In <br />addition one butterfly species has also been identified as <br />potentially occurring in the area (Pague 1993). Three criteria for <br />selecting these ten species are: actual observations within, or <br />adjacent to, the mine permit area; known distribution in this <br />section of Colorado and the presence of essential habitat for these <br />species as defined by Torres et al. USFWS and DOW have been <br />• contacted for their input and interest concerning an updated list <br />of species in the project area. A letter response from the USFWS <br />is supplied as Exhibit 14, Fish and Wildlife Information. <br />Bird species of concern are the bald eagle, peregrine <br />falcon and whooping crane. The whooper and peregrine are consid- <br />ered migrants and are not anticipated to utilize the mine site. <br />Although peregrines are known to occur in an area west of Trinidad, <br />this site is many miles east of the mine site. However, some <br />potential peregrine habitat does exist in the Stonewall area <br />several miles west of the mine site. But no peregrines are known <br />to occur in this area (Holder 1994). <br />Bald eagles, however, winter in the vicinity of Stonewall <br />and are occasionally observed at other locations along the <br />Purgatoire River in areas of large cottonwood trees (Holder 1994). <br />Mining operations are not projected to impact the wintering <br />• habitats. This is based on the following conclusions. First, the <br />mine has been in operation for many years, therefore any eagles in <br />2.04-34 (a) (Revised 01-04-94) <br />