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The claypan range site occupies nearly level to fairly steep elopes. The clays restrict water permeability and plant-moisture availability. The plant composition ie 40 to 65i grasses, 5 to l0i forba, and 25 to 55• shrubs. The loamy elopes range site occurs on moderate stony elopes. The soils are atone-filled sandy looms to light clay loamy with moderate permeability. The plant composition is 55~ shrubs, 35t graeyea and lOt forbe. A field survey was conducted by the Bureau of Land Management in 1982. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) lists the Ute lady's tresses (S~iranthee diluvialis) ae the only threatened or endangered plant species that may occur within the proposed lease area (USFWS, 1992). Potential habitat for this species occurs within the proposed lease area in the seasonally moist soils along the floodplain of Fieh Creek (OSM, 1993). The species way not found during a field survey conducted in 1982). The 1982 Fish Creek Tract Profile and Site Specific Analysis and 1984 Supplement contains detailed discussion of vegetation. (Bureau of Land Management, 1982, 1984) Wildlife The entire proposed lease area ie included in the winter range for both mule deer and elk, with portions of critical winter range. Sage grouse, blue grouse, and sharp-tailed grouse are known to occur in the area, although no strutting grounds have been identified. Ducks feed, rest, and neat in Fieh and Foidel creeks. Raptors, including golden eagles, have been known to nest in the cliffs of the Twentymile Sandstone. St ie not known if there are any currently active nests. USFWS lists the Colorado equawfieh (Ptvchocheilue luciue), the humpback chub (Gila ewha), bonytail chub (G. eleoane), razorback sucker (XVrauchen texanua), black-footed ferret (Mustela nicrioes), and bald eagle (Haliaeetue leucocevhelus) ae the only threatened or endangered wildlife species that may occur within the area of influence of the proposed lease (USFWS, 1992). There are no known individuals of these species or critical habitat in the area. The upper Colorado River basin provides habitat for the four endangered fish species, but none is present within the boundaries of the proposed lease area. Fieh Creek, because of its classification ae a "fisheries stream", could potentially provide some poor-quality habitat for the bald eagle ae it migrates through the area (OSM, 1993). Fieh Creek may provide nesting habitat for the state-listed greater eandhill trans. The 1982 Fieh Creek Tract Profile and Site Specific Analysis and 1984 Supplement (Bureau of Land Management, 1982, 1984) and the Foidel Creak Mina Permit No. C-82-056 (Cyprus Twentymile Coal Co., 1982) contain detailed discussion of wildlife resources. Cultural Resources Approximately 40! of the proposed lease area has been inventoried for cultural resources by Arthur, 1977; Zier, 1979; Rillam, 1982; Conner and Langdon, 1986; and Metcalf, 1991. Three archaeological sites are recorded within the lease. Site number SRT32 ie an open campsite that was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places (Rippetesu, 1980). Site number SRT34 ie an ineligible 10