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not present within the project azea. Long-term and cumulative effects on bald eagles are not expected based on the knowledge that: • The occurrence of bald eagle within the project area is unknown, since official surveys for this species were not conducted within the project area. However, none have been observed near the project azea while conducting wildlife studies in the North Fork Valley since 2002. • Suitable reproductive habitat for bald eagle does not exist within the project azea. • The proposed project will not affect any known eagle nest/reproductive sites. • Proposed project activities do not include vegetation alteration (logging) strategies that would impact eagles. • Proposed project activifies do not include increases inroad density or amounts, since no new permanent roads will be constructed as part of project activities. Any temporary roads that are constructed will be obliterated after use. • The proposed project will not affect individual eagles in the short-term during project implementation, by making individual birds temporarily avoid the project area. • The limited scope and scale of the proposed action and its location means that bald eagle reproductive, foraging and winter habitat is not at risk. Bald eagle population viability is not at risk, Based on current information, the project will have No Effect on the bald eagle. Endangered Fish: Four federally listed endangered species (Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, bonytail chub, and razorback sucker) occur in offsite azeas including the Gunnison and Colorado river (USFWS) 1994). Offsite areas inhabited by Colorado pikeminnow include the lower 30 to 40 miles of the Gunnison River and the Colorado River near Palisade, Colorado downstream to Lake Powell. The closest offsite areas inhabited by razorback sucker include the Gunnison River (below Hartland Dam to the Colorado River confluence) and the Colorado River between Palisade, Colorado and Westwater Canyon. The occurrence of humpback chub is limited to one recent record in the lower Gunnison River and the Black Rocks and Westwater Canyon reaches of the Colorado River. The humpback chub has been collected in the Colorado River in the Black Rocks area, Cataract Canyon and Lake Powell. On May 12, 2005 a Biological Opinion (BO) for the depletion of 242 acre-feet annually from the Gunnison River Basin by Oxbow Mining Company and the town of Somerset was rendered by the FWS. The FWS determined that the depletions are likely to jeopardize the continued existence of these four species and that adverse modification of their habitat would occur. The FWS stated that reasonable and prudent alternafives outlined in the BO will serve as reasonable and prudent measures for minimizing incidental take that results from the 242 acre feet per year water depletion. Any amount of water withdrawal above this level would exceed the anticipated level of incidental take. Thus, any water withdrawn by activities associated with the mining operations are 18