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' Threatened and Endangered Species There is no acreage within or adjacent to the proposed mine plan area that • have been or are pending designation as essential habitat for any threatener or endangered wildlife species that could potentiall}~ occur there. Bald eagles, a threatened species, are knocm to winter along the Yampa River and hilliams Forb: Fiver resoectively 3 miles northeast and one mile west of the mine plan area. No I;nown nesting sites are located within the mine plan area or adjacent areas. Eald eagles may occasionally use the mine plan area for feeding on carrion during winter months or on overflights from the Yampa River to the 1?illiams Fork P.iver. The greater sand hill crane, a threatened species, i6 known. to use the Big Bottom area along the Yampa P,iver for nesting and as staging and feeding areas. It is possible this species may infrequen[1}• use the cropland areas within the mine plan area for feeding, however, such use has never been noted. The peregrine falcon is an endangered species and is a possible migrant through the mine area. The northwest part of the State near the Utah border is considered a possible site for breeding; populations of black-footed ferrets. The CD04' defines potential ferret Habitat as "...at least 8 prairie dog towns per township, all of at least 1"<: hectares in size and 2 of 40 hectares or more." ido prairie dogs have been located within the mine plan area or adjacent areas possibly due to past poia;on control programs and slyvatic plaque outbreaks. Seven threatened or endangered plant species are thought County within the 6500 to 8000 elevation range of the mi three could occur within the mine plan area according to University Plant Information Network. They are: simple and locoweed. None of these species were encountered by applicant's consultants during plant inventories. • Socioeconomics Employment Co occur in Moffat xe. Of these, only •_he Colorado State :rockcress, catseye, .he applicant or [he The Trapper Mine is located in ?toffat County, approximately four miles south of Craig, Colorado on Highway 13/789. At [he present time, Trapper liining, Inc. employs 211 personnel at the Trapper *fine. Employment is expected to remain generally stable throughout the next 10 years and then begin to gradually decrease after 1994. Residence, Transportation and Current Socioeconomic Conditions According to the company, approximately 907, of the mine employees reside in Craig and commute to work via private auto. Car-pooling is available for salaried workers. The current population of Moffat County is approximately 13,400; Craig's population is estimated to be 13,511. By 1985, Aioffat County is projected to grow to 20,189 while Craig's population is projected to grow to 16,762. (Moffat County Planning Department, 1982.) -7- I •