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r <br />• <br />REQORT <br />...;:,.~]eoa..•_.P.^KC3s2_xa:]a-.rc•: ,•w:i`.gpo-•~ nyV-.?.§.--v.,.n:: ,........ .n'nFi:..F;..ce<d-~.:Im~.: -:...ee z-_:: <br />INTRODUCTION <br />Mountain Coal Company (MCC) operates the West Elk Mine under a permit (No. C-80-007) <br />issued by the Colorado Division of Mineral and Geology (DMG). The location of the mine is <br />approximately two miles east of Somerset, Colorado off Colorado State Highway 133. <br />The proposed project area would be used to drill for water observation and exploration. !n <br />eompleance with the Endangered Species Act of 1972 as amended, a clearance survey for all <br />threatened and endangered wildlife and plant species is repuired before drilling can begin. In <br />addition, sensitive species designated by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) azc also addressed in <br />this report. The threatened, endangered, and sensitive (TES) species of concem and their <br />habitau, as provided by the U>S> Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and USFS, are listed in <br />Table 1. <br />A survey is also required to identify any fragile or particularly sensitive areas of concern. These <br />areas might include wctlsnda, riparian areas, and unusual topographic features. <br />The purpose of this report is to discuss habitat and potcutial occurrence of each threatened, <br />endangered and sensitive species of concem ihat may occur within a 10-acre pad that includes <br />• drill site EEE. This report will also present the results of the August R, 2001 field survey. <br />SITE LOCATION <br />West Elk Mine is located in Gunnison County approximately two milts east of Somerset, <br />Colorado. The proposed drill pad site, EEE, is located in the east half of the southeast comer of <br />section ] 1, Range 90 west, Township 13 south (Figure 1). <br />METHODS <br />A survey of the 10-acre project area was conducted on August 8, 2001. The field investigation <br />was completed in two tasks. Task 1 entailed the determination of suitable habitats in the project <br />area for each TES species. Tack 2 entailed a species survey if suitable habitat was identified. <br />RESULTS <br />Drill pad EEE occurs about '/. milt southwest of the 1Xighway 133 bridge crossing the North <br />Fork Gunnison river. The sift is located on the lower half of a north facing slope at an <br />approximate elevation of 6300ft. The area is characterized by an overstory of thick Uambel's <br />oak (Quercus gambelii) and chokecherry (Pnenus virgininna) interspersed with <br />serviceberry(AmeZanchier alnijolia). The understory consists of mountain mahogany <br />(Cercocarpus montanus), mountain boxwood (Paxisrimu myrsinites), creeping mahonia <br />• (Mahonia repens) and silvery lupine (Lupinus argenreus) (sec photos). Some shrubs will have <br />to be removed as a result of the drill pad and access road. <br />WatF.IkGG~-APr(31 UyAUguat Il, ZOQI 1 <br />