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03-26-2001 01~18PM FROM <br />.~ ' <br />TO 19709295177 P.03 <br />occur; in sunspot areas and include prairie sage, glaucous aster, whitetop, showy daisy, <br />Colorado bedstraw, tailcup lupine, hoary tansy-aster, mules-eaz wyethia, prairie <br />sunllgwer, and alyssum <br />A Colorado Natural Heritage Program data base search was conducted for degasification <br />well ICBM-1 in order to identify species of special concern within the project area <br />(Savage and Savage, 2001). The data base search for degasification well CBM-1 was <br />conducted for Section 2, Township 13 South, Range 90 West. The new area of <br />disturbance is located in Sections 2 and 3, Township 13 South, Range 90 West. The <br />majority of the distwbance is located within Section 2 with a small road segment located <br />in Section 3. Due to time constraints a new Natural Heritage Program data abase search <br />including Section 3 was not conducted. However, the soils, hydrology, and vegetation <br />aze similar in Section 2 and Section 3 and therefore suitable for this assessment. The <br />Natural Heritage Program data base search identified one plant species and one plant <br />community to be of special concern. The Natural Heritage Program identified a montane <br />riparian forest (Populus agustifolia/Alnus rncana) plant community and the Grand Mesa <br />penstemon (Penstemun mensarum). <br />Another population of Grand Mesa penstemon, not recorded by the Colorado Natural <br />Heritage Program, was located within atwenty-mile radius of Somerset, Colorado by <br />Robert D. Dom on July 2, 1994 (Dorn, 1994). He estimates there arc approximately <br />3,256,000 plants within the Somerset area. According to Mr. Dorn the plants regulazly <br />occur on roadside or trail disturbances (but also in natural openings in the brush). A copy <br />ofMi. Doors letter report is attached. <br />No species within the degasification drill sites and road segment areas are afforded legal <br />status designation by either the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered <br />Species Act or the Colorado Division of Wildlife under Colorado Statutes 33-2-105 <br />Arfirle 2. <br />Montane Ripazian Forest <br />The drill sites and road segmetlts, as well as the azea surrounding the drill sites and road <br />seg~ents, consist of a closed canopy mountain shrubland. Therefore a montane ripazian <br />forest plant community is not present within or nearby the degasification well sites or <br />road segments. <br />Grand Mesa Penstemon <br />-~-_~ <br />In previous vegetation surveys conducted for permitting at the Sanborn Creek Mine for <br />CDMG, the Grand Mesa penstemon was not found at the mine site. "It oac:urs among <br />oaks~and aspens; in meadows, and colonizes road cuts (Harrington 1954; pers. comm. <br />Coles 1994)) and in deep clayey loam soils (unknown source in EMF)[sic]. Two records <br />haveielevations listed at 7200 feet, however these may be inaccurate" (CNHP, 2001). <br />The primary descriptor of penstemon habitat according to the previous comments <br />