PERMFILE108466

• Permit No: C1980004A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 8/22/2006
• Section_Exhibit Name: Tables 4.2 to 4.5-28
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

Biological Assessment for DMG Permit Renewals McClane Canyon & Munger Canyon Mines
i I Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis)
• Proposed critical habitat for Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis)
• Designated critical habitat for Mexican spotted owl (Sbix occidentalis lucida)
• Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus glaucus)
Not Likely to Adverselv Affect
The following federally-listed species potentially occur infrequently in the assessment areas.
Based on the marginal suitability of habitat in the assessment area and on the limited
occupancy of the region by the species, the proposed actions may effect, but are not likely to
adversely affect
• Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
• Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida)
Likely to Adverselv Affect
Based on the collective water consumption estimate for McClane Canyon and Munger Canyon
Mines resulting in an average annual depletion of 13.39 acre-feet from a Colorado River
tributary, the proposed actions may affect. and are likely to adversely affect the following
federally-listed soecies and their designated critical habitat:
• Bonytail (Gila a/egans)
• Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius)
• Humpback chub (Gila cypha)
~l Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus)
Although the volume of water depletion that will result from the continued operation of the mines
represents a relatively small depletion to the Colorado River, USFWS considers any action that
could result in a net water depletion in the upper Colorado River Basin a "may affect, likely to
adversely affect" determination for the Colorado River endangered fishes and their designated
critical habitat (Gelatt 2003). The total depletion volume considered by this BA has already been
analyzed by a Section 7 consultation (see Section 2 of this document).
7.2 Determinations for Candidates, Sensitive Species, and Species of Concern
Neither proposed action considered by this BA is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of
candidate species, BLM sensitive species, or State of Colorado species of concern. The
following subsections summarize this BA's determinations of effect and rationale for each
determination.
No Effect
Based on lack of species occurrences, lack suitable habitat in the assessment areas, or lack of
suitable habitat within the areas of permitted surface disturbance, the proposed actions will have
no effect on the following species:
• De Beque phacelia (Phacelia submutica)
• Grand buckwheat (Ertogonum contortum)
• Parachute beardtongue (Penstemon debilis)
.~..J
March 27, 2006 17 Rare Earth Science, LLC