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immediately mitigated. Other activities in the area have been implemented and <br />successfully reclaimed or mitigated, and have not had residual effects beyond the specific <br />sites of disturbance. <br />After reviewing the bond amount recommended by the BLM (project file), I believe that <br />it is sufficient to mitigate disturbances to Forest Service resources. No additional bond <br />amount is required by the Forest Service. <br />Extraordinary Circumstances. I also have determined that there are no extraordinary <br />circumstances related to the FS conditions to be attached to the proposed Dry Fork CEL <br />when should it be issued by BLM. Following direction at FSH 1909.15, Ch. 30, Sec. <br />30.3, I considered the following resource conditions in making my determination that <br />there are no extraordinary circumstances associated with the FS conditions on the <br />proposed Dry Fork CEL. <br />Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, <br />species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service <br />sensitive species. <br />A Biological Assessment/Evaluation (BABE) was completed for activities proposed <br />under the Dry Fork CEL (project file). The BA documented that FS conditions on the <br />proposed Dry Fork CEL would result in a "may affect, likely to adversely affect" <br />determination for 4 endangered fish species due to water depletions (1.1 acre-feet) in <br />the Upper Colorado River Basin. Even though proposed activities under the Dry Fork <br />CEL, with FS conditions, resulted in a "may affect, likely to adversely affect" <br />determination, the project is consistent with the Programmatic Biological Opinion <br />(PBO) (Dec. 20, 1999). Under the Programmatic Biological Opinion, a certain level <br />of water depletions is allowed with no j eopardy to the endangered fishes. <br />Consultation is required to determine whether the project fits under the umbrella of <br />the PBO. Activities under the proposed Dry Fork CEL, with FS conditions, would <br />result in a depletion level within the limits for small depletions, and federal discretion <br />is retained. Depletion fee requirements are waived for depletions of 100-acre-feet or <br />less, and consequently, depletion fees for the proposed Dry Fork CEL are not <br />required. <br />The BA also documented that activities under the proposed Dry Fork CEL, with FS <br />conditions, would result in a "may affect, not likely to adversely affect" determination <br />for Canada lynx because one of the drill locations is proposed on the edge of mapped <br />"other" habitat (capable but not currently denning or winter foraging habitat). This <br />would cause temporary alteration of approximately 0.45 acres of lynx habitat, but <br />with no permanent loss to habitat and no net increase in snow compaction. <br />Based on the information presented in the BABE, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />concluded that the project fits under the umbrella of the PBO for the endangered fish <br />in the Upper Colorado River, and concurred with the Forest Service's determination <br />that the project "may affect but will not adversely affect" the lynx (project file). <br />The BE identif ed two sensitive species in the area of the proposed Dry Fork CEL: <br />the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentillis) and purple martin (Progne subis). <br />However, proposed activities carried out consistent with FS conditions #12 and #13 <br />(Appendix A) would result in no impact to these species. <br />