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MOUNTAIN COAL COMPANY WEST ELK MINE <br />DEER CREEK SHAFT <br />2006 <br />WILDLIFE HABITAT EVALUATIONS AND INVENTORY <br />FOR <br />THREATENED AND ENDANGERED, SENSITIVE AND <br />MANAGEMENT INDICATOR SPECIES <br />INTRODUCTION <br />The following information is a description of wildlife habitat and Threatened and <br />Endangered and Sensitive Species surveys for the Mountain Coal Company Proposed <br />Deer Creek Shaft location. <br />^ A survey for all Federal and State listed Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive and <br />Management Indicator Species and associated habitat is required before road and vent <br />shaft site construction can begin. To satisfy this requirement, Mountain Coal contracted <br />with Michael Ward Outdoors to conduct the surveys and prepare a report presenting the <br />findings. Information requirements and methodologies for conducting the studies were <br />established with the USFS during prior years of studies and were used during the 2006 <br />studies. <br />This report presents findings on the presence or absence of any listed species, habitat <br />availability and condition, presence of raptor nests and other bird species observed in the <br />study area. <br />~ PROJECT AREA <br />' The staked location for the Deer Creek Shaft is approximately 500 feet west south-west <br />of the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek-Deer Creek road junction. Access to the site will be <br />via a 760 foot road that will originate at the Minnesota Creek road and traverse across the <br />slope in a southeasterly direction to the location. The pad will be approximately 400 feet <br />on a side. Road and site construction will result in the loss of approximately 1.70 acres of <br />' aspen/mountain shrub habitat. <br />