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,~ <br />Page 2 <br />The following species may occur in or near the project area: <br />FEDERALLY LISTED SPECIES <br />Colorado squawfish Ptvchocheilus Lucius <br />Razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus <br />FEDERALLY PROPOSED SPECIES <br />Mexican spotted owl Strix occidentalis lucida <br />FEDERAL CANDIDATE SPECIES <br />Northern goshawk Accioiter gentilis <br />Ferruginous hawk Buteo reaalis <br />Southwestern willow flycatcher Empidomax trailii extimus <br />Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus <br />Flannelmouth sucker Catostomus latioinnis <br />Roundtail chub Gila robusta <br />While candidate species presently have no legal protection under the <br />Endangered Species Act (Act), it is within the spirit of the Act to consider <br />project impacts to potentially sensitive candidate species. Additionally, we <br />wish to make you aware of the presence of Federal candidates should any be <br />proposed or listed prior to the time that all Federal actions related to the <br />project are completed. <br />The endangered fishes could be impacted by water depletion or pollution to the <br />San Juan River drainage. If water depletion is associated with your mining <br />activities the average annual acre-foot depletion should be calculated. All <br />modern techniques for eliminating pollutants from entering watersheds should <br />be implemented. <br />The Mexican spotted owl was proposed for listing as threatened on November 4, <br />1991. Mexican spotted owls have been found in Mesa Verde National Park and <br />tend to inhabit canyons in Colorado. If the lead agency determines that the <br />mining activity "may jeopardize the continued existence" of the owl a <br />"conference" will need to be conducted. A conference opinion issued while a <br />species is proposed may be adopted as a final biological opinion when and if <br />the species is listed. The conference procedure is designed to "identify and <br />resolve potential conflicts between an action and proposed species...at an <br />early point in the decisionmaking process". <br />The candidate birds may all reside and breed near the project area. The <br />goshawks nest primarily in coniferous forests. Ferruginous hawks inhabit open <br />areas and tend to nest in pinyon-juniper habitats. The loggerhead shrike is <br />found primarily in sagebrush and pinyon-juniper habitats in Colorado. The <br />