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MOUNTAIN COAL COMPANY-WEST ELK MINE E SEAM MAINS METHANE DRAINAGE WELLS AREA 2005 WILDLIFE HABITAT EVALUATIONS AND INVENTORY FOR T&E, SENSITIVE AND MANAGEMENT INDICATOR SPECIES INTRODUCTION The following information is a description of wildlife habitat and Threatened and Endangered and Sensitive Species surveys for the Mountain Coal Company -West Elk Mine E Seam Mains Methane Drainage Wells Area. A survey for all Federal and State listed Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive and Management Indicator Species and associated habitat is required before road building, pad construction and drilling can begin. To satisfy this requirement, Mountain Coai contracted with Michael Wazd Outdoors to conduct the surveys and prepaze a report ' presenting the findings. Information requirements and methodologies for conducting the studies were established with the USFS during prior years of studies and were used during the 2005 studies. This report presents findings on the presence or absence of any listed species, habitat availability and condition, presence of raptor nests and other bird species observed in the study azea. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING T & E AND SENSITIVE SPECIES In reviewing the list of species and their habitat requirements provided by the USFS the conclusion can be drawn that habitat for most of these species is lacking or of poor quality at, and around, all proposed drill sites and access roads. No riparian, wetland or stream habitat wilt be affected by activities associated with drilling operations. In the project azea, suitable habitat is lacking for the only ground dwelling Federal and State listed mammals. There is no suitable lynx denning or wintering habitat that will be disturbed by construction of proposed access roads or drill sites. Canada Lynx could possibly move through the area, but it is doubtful any would remain. There is no suitable habitat for black-footed ferrets in the azea. Spotted and big-eared bats may occur in the azea, but no habitat they would use for roosting or hibernaculums would be affected by activities associated with proposed operations. Given the habitat requirements of many bird species listed as Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive (TES), or Management Indicator Species the possibility of affecting any habitat important to these species is minimal. It is known that some of the listed species occur in the general area. However, no habitat considered to be critical to nearly all these species will be affected. Also, there are large expanses of the different habitat types found in the