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Third Park Federal Coal Exploration License Environmental Assessment TABLE 4 -BLM LISTED SENSITIVE SPECIES FOR THE UNCOMPAHGRE FIELD OFFICE S ecies Name Presence in the Pro'ect Area Northern leopard frog Rana i iens No suitable habitat is known [o occur in the Project Area. No effect. Invertebrates Great Basin silverspot butterfly S e eria nokomis nokomis No suitable habitat within the Project Area. No effect. Gastro ods Rocky Mountain capshell Acro[oxus coloradensis No suitable habitat within the Project Area. No effect. Species is considered in further detail Environmental Consequences/Mitigation: There would be no effect to the bald eagle from the Proposed Action. This assessment is based on the absence of known active bald eagle nests and winter concentration areas in the Project Area. The Proposed Action would require approximately 16,800 gallons (0.05 acre/feet) of water to drill the 98 holes. Water would be obtained from the permitted New Horizon Mine and/or purchased from the Town of Nucla. Acquiring water from these sources would not result in new water depletion from the Colorado River Basin. Based on the lack of new water depletions, this Project would have no effect to the Colorado River endangered fishes. Surveys for sensitive plant species, nesting raptors, and migratory nesting birds were conducted in May 2007 along all proposed overland access routes and at all drill hole locations. The surveys found two sensitive plant species (Naturita milkvetch and Paradox Valley lupine) and two adult burrowing owls within the Project Area (ARCADIS 2007b). Three drill holes were relocated to avoid potential impacts to these sensitive plant species. The two burrowing owls were observed near the County Road but were not located within 300 feet of a drill hole location or overland access route. [f additional sensitive plant species, active raptor nests, or active migratory bird nests are identified during project implementation, appropriate measures would be taken to reduce effects to these species including relocating overland access routes and drill hole locations and implementing disturbance-free buffer zones and timing limitations for active raptor nests. There would be no effect to BLM sensitive bat species because potentially suitable pinyon-pine habitats would not be altered. The drilling activities may cause some disturbance and displacement of local sensitive species based on the increased human presence and activity (noise) in the area. These effects would not be detrimental to individuals or population status and health because of the limited duration of activities and availability of other unaffected suitable habitats in the vicinity of the Project Area. Under the No Action Alternative, there would be no new effects to threatened, endangered, or sensitive species. Land Health Standard 4: Special status, threatened, and endangered species (federal and state), other plants and animals officially designated by the BLM, and their habitats would continue to be maintained after the completion of the Project. The standard with regard to threatened and endangered species would be met, Western Fuels CEL Environmental Assessment 15