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the entrapment of, or injury to, the wildlife species. Fence construction will be minimized and of standard BLM configuration. Road traffic control will be enforced to prevent injury or death to wildlife by moving vehicles. Wildlife habitat will be retained and enhanced as practicable within the development constraints of the approved post-mining land uses. No threatened or endangered species of plants are known nor are any likely to occur on the permit area based upon known habitat requirements of endangered or threatened potential occupants (See Appendix 4-6). A survey was conducted pursuant to a stipulation of the permit and no endangered or threatened plant species occurred within the permit azea. No threatened or endangered species of wildlife are known to exist on the permit azea. Bald eagles winter in trees along the Animas River adjacent to the new covered shopping mall (Map 4-7). The winter resident eagles feed upon carrion and apparently upon mule deer road kills along State Highway 160. It is believed that this activity will continue due to the density of traffic in this area. The major impact of the mine operation is the reduction of some big game winter range. The total project will remove approximately 105 acres from the production, but due to on-going reclamation of backfilled areas of the pit and maximum disturbance at any one time is estimated at about 75 acres. Golden Eagles are not expected to be impacted to the same degree as Bald Eagles since it is assumed from experience with resident Golden Eagles in other areas of Colorado that they are not obligatory winter camon eaters. The permit area does not offer good roost sites or nesting habitat. The permit area does offer suitable hunting grounds which may be enhanced when they are opened up and resident rodents and rabbits are displaced. The open nature of the proposed revegetated azeas should offer improved hunting habitat (also applies to other rapture species) until, through succession, the area returns to a predominantly pinyon juniper climax community. New powerline construction undertaken by OEI will be in conformance with REA Bulletin 61-10 to prevent rapture electrocution. To the degree that the concerns of the DOW can be accommodated by the requirements of the post-mining land uses, the fish and wildlife plan for the reclamation of the mine will do so. 2.05.6(3) Protection of the Hydrolopc Balance Appropriate maps and cross sections relative to the ground water and surface water hydrology have been provided in Section 2.04.7. Backfilling, grading, retopsoiling, and subsequent revegetation will re-establish landforms consistent with those adjacent to the mine. Surface water runoff and attendant erosion will be minimized through establishment of vegetation. The predominantly herbaceous nature of the vegetation to • Technical Revision 08 (v 1.3) 5-32 Revised 9/1997