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Threatened and Endangered Species Bald eagle, whooping crane, or peregrine falcon populations or associated habitats would be subject to no conceivable impact. Since potential ferret habitat, in the form of white-tailed prairie dog towns, does not currently exist on the application area, surface disturbances which could otherwise damage or destroy burrow systems (i. e., blading) would be inconsequential. In the event prairie dogs are found or become established in areas potentially influenced by surface activities, measures to avoid disturbance of burrow systems could be employed. If potentially deleterious surface disturbing activities or subsidence-related impacts prove to be unavoidable, formal surveys following current USFWS guidelines would be required in advance of disturbance to determine the presence or absence of black-footed ferrets. Mine-related water consumption, representing depletion of flow from the Upper Colorado River Basin and associated endangered fish habi- tat, was addressed in the final Biological Opinion for the Moon Lake Project (May 1981) which includes the subject mine. Since incorpor- ation of this emergency lease into the framework of Western Fuels' existing mine would presumably involve no further depletions to the Upper Colorado River Basin, no additional impacts to downstream fisheries would occur. Section 7 Consultation with the USFWS, as required by the Endangered Species Act, has been initiated by BLM on this leasing action. Thorough evaluation of impacts and measures necessary to protect listed and proposed threatened and endangered species will be devel- oped through this interagency effort. Cultural Resources Approximately one-half of the Emergency Bypass Lease application area has been inventoried. The remainder of the area will have to be inventoried and if significant sites are discovered, impacts will have to be miti- gated. Ho sites within the half that has been inventoried have been identified as potentially eligible for the Rational Register of Historic Sites. All requirements of inventory and mitigation will be done accord- ing to Section 106 of the Rational Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended). The effects of subsidence on archaeological and historical sites will depend on the extent of surface deformation. Changes in the overall slope of the site, which could occur in areas mined using Longwell techniques, could change the erosional patterns in a site, causing increased movement of surface cultural materials and, if the change in slope is great enough, destruction of surface and subsurface features and in place cultural debris, as well as increased movement of surface cultural remains. The greatest damage to an affected site could be the result of tension and compression. If present, tension cracks and compression arches will cause • considerable damage to t he integrity of a site. Tension cracks will 19 e