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Echibit R CMLRB 112 Permit Application <br />Agile Slone Systems. Inc. <br />• garter snake, and prairie rattlesnake (Hammerson and Langlois 1981). <br />Potential amphibian residents in the permit area include: tiger salamander, red-spotted <br />toad, Woodhouse's toad, and boreal chorus &og (Hammerson and Langlois 1981). <br />5.0 Threatened and Endangered Species <br />No identified critical habitat for any state or federally listed threatened or endangered <br />species occurs within or neaz the permit area. In addition, no federal proposed or <br />candidate species are likely to inhabit habitats within or near the permit azea. The permit <br />area is, however, located within the range of one federally listed endangered species <br />(peregrine falcon) and one threatened species (bald eagle). <br />Bald eagles are present primarily as wintering birds in Colorado, and a wintering <br />population is known to inhabit the Arkansas River valley downstream of the permit area. <br />A few nesting records also exist, predominantly in the northwest and southwest portions <br />of the state (Andrews and Righter 1992). Bald eagles may occasionally wander up the <br />Arkansas River neaz the permit area during the winter months, but preferred habitats aze <br />lacking within the permit area. <br />American and Arctic peregrine falcons are known to occur throughout the region <br />primarily during spring and fall migration. The permit area is located within the nesting <br />range of the American peregrine falcon. The Arkansas River Canyon in the vicinity of <br />• Canon City and Pazkdale has supported historic nesting activity (Torres et al. 1978) and <br />continues to be used by summer populations of this species (Andrews and Righter 1992). <br />It is likely that peregrines may occasionally fly over the permit area. Small riparian areas <br />along Tallahassee Creek could provide potential foraging habitat for peregrine falcon, but <br />more extensive and suitable foraging areas exist along the Arkansas River corridor. <br />The peregrine's preferred nest site is a rugged, remote cliff (100 to 300 feet in height) <br />usually overlooking water or mazshy areas where prey is abundant (U.S. Fish and <br />Wildlife Service 1984). The only potential nesting habitat for peregrines within or near <br />the permit area is the small cliff area in the north-central portion of the site. As indicated <br />previously, no evidence of nesting by any raptors, including peregrine falcon, was located <br />along this cliff face. <br />6.0 Impact Assessment <br />According to the Agile Stone Systems, Inc. proposed plan, 169 acres within the permit <br />azea would be disturbed. About 70 acres would be associated with the proposed rock <br />quarries on the north side of Tallahassee Creek. Of this disturbance, 64 acres would be in <br />pinon/juniper habitat and 6 acres would be in shrub/grassland habitat. The remaining 99 <br />acres of disturbance would be primarily on the grassland bench on the south side of <br />Tallahassee Creek. Approximately 50 of these acres would be for gravel production, 18 <br />acres would be used for plant operations, and the remaining acres would be for roads, <br />. berms, buffers and tracks. Two stream crossings would be required to access the granite <br />7 <br />