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processing plant, asphalt plant, and concrete plant. The petitioner indicated that there will not be any <br />designated chemicals or acid-producing materials that will be used or stored on site. <br />EXISTING WII,DLIFE & HABTTAT CONDITIONS: <br />GENERAL COMMENTS: <br />King Mountain Sand & Gravel Mine is located in rural South Routt County. The azea is primarily agricultural <br />rangeland, which also provides a lazge and relafively undisturbed landscape for wildlife. The existing pit has <br />created soil and vegetation disturbance that has resulted in habitat loss and reduced habitat value at that <br />immediate location. Habitat fragmentation has occurred on a very limited scale. County roads bisect the <br />property on the south and border it to the west. These county roads receive very light vehiculaz traffic as only a <br />few residences and ranches aze scattered throughout the azea. <br />The majority of the habitat neaz the proposed project is predominantly sagebrush-grass rangeland. 'The plant <br />community is comprised primarily of mountain big sagebrush and wheatgrass. Other species include <br />rabbitbrush, junegrass, bluegrass, smooth brome and fescue: The sagebrush communities azound Toponas and <br />up onto Five Pines Mesa constitute some of the best remaining sage-grouse habitat in Southern Routt and <br />Northern Eagle Counties. There aze also some minor riparian azeas on the proposed site that aze associated . <br />with Smith and Egeria Creeks which converge on the south end of the property. <br />Sagebrush communities in southern Routt County provide valuable habitats for numerous species. The <br />following list identifies a few of those species; however, this list is not intended to be all-inclusive. <br />MAMMALS • Elk, mule deer, mountain lion, coyote,, red fox, badger, white-tailed jackrabbit, <br /> Wyoming ground squirrel, sagebrush vole, etc. <br />BIRDS • Greater Sage-Grouse, Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse, Great-Homed Owl, Red- <br /> tailedHawk, Golden Eagle, Brewers Sparrow, Lazk Sparrow, Black-Billed Magpie, <br /> etc. <br />REPTILES • Western terrestrial arter snake <br />Currently, there aze no known wildlife species that have been identified as a threatened or endangered species <br />by the CDOW or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ([TSFWS) that regulazly use the habitats on and adjacent <br />to the proposed pit. <br />A few species warrant specific attention due to other species designations. <br />• Elk and mule deer aze both species of economic importance and the proposed project is part of the overall <br />summer range and transition range for these species. <br />Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse aze listed as Species of Special Concern by the CDOW. While <br />Northwestern Colorado boasts one of the best sharp-tailed grouse populations across its range, Columbian <br />Sharp-tailed Grouse have been declining across their range and have been extirpated from lazge parts of its <br />former range. On October 14, 2004, the USFWS was petitioned to list the bird as a threatened or <br />endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. This pefifion is currently under review. The King <br />Mountain Sand & Gravel Mine is located within winter range and overall range for Columbian Sharp- <br />tailed Grouse and lies towazds the southwest edge of the largest production complex for sharp-tailed grouse <br />in southern Routt County. <br />Greater Sage Grouse are listed as a Species of Special Concern by the CROW. The United States Fish and <br />Wildlife Service has received multiple petitions to list the Greater Sage-Grouse as threatened or <br />endangered. On April 15, 2004, the USFWS released a 90-Day fmding that determined that "substantial <br />biological information exists to warrant a more in-depth examination of the status of the Greater Sage- <br />