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of Parachute along the Colorado River. The Anvil Points birds are believed to forage widely across the top of the Roan Plateau as well as the Colorado River Valley. The GSRA O&G EIS draft relates of recent sightings of a pair of birds in the West Fork of Parachute which extends west from the pipeline crossing at Davis Point. The pipeline would parallel the precipitous cliffs along this drainage for 2-3 miles, though any potential nesting activity would be removed from any construction related activity by 0.5 mile or more. Based on the above information, we feel the likelihood of a nesting attempt in close proximity to project facilities or activities is low, and that temporary construction activity confined along the right-of-way corridor would have no conceivable influence on peregrine foraging activity. In the event a nest site is discovered in an area potentially influenced by project development, standard BLM raptor protection stipulations as provided for in the White River RMP (committed mitigation in Wildlife Mitigation Plan) would be imposed (i.e., 0.25 mile nest site NSO and 0.5 mile timing limitations from February 1 through August 15 or until fledging and dispersal of young from the nest site). bald ea41e There are no nesting bald eagles nor potential nest habitat involved with the Piceance site (See page 4-60 of draft EIS). The nearest bald eagle nest and winter roost sites are relegated to the White River valley's cottonwood galleries, some 10 miles northeast and 8 miles north of the mine site, respectively. Widespread opportunistic foraging activity occurs across the Piceance Basin from October through April, and it is assumed that breeding birds make occasional forays up Piceance Creek during the summer months. we do not feel that construction or operation of the Piceance plant site or product pipeline would have any adverse consequences on bald eagles or their habitat in the Piceance Basin. A bald eagle nest was constructed in the upper Parachute drainage several miles to the west of the pipeline corridor in 1994. This somewhat anomalous site was built in an aspen grove and may have been prompted by small trout-stocked ponds nearby. Raptor surveys along the pipeline in 1998 yielded no evidence of nesting activity in aspen habitats within 400' of the corridor's centerline. Similar to the White River, balds make regular use of cottonwood galleries along the Colorado River in the vicinity of Parachute for nesting and winter roost activities. The birds are also