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In following the guidelines of'fiie Endangered Species Act of 1973. r.~ i~mended, a saarch was made <br />for threatened. endangered, ~ sensitive (TES) plant species in the ,-project area. i ]o federal TES <br />species are known to exist in (•~e project area. ' <br />,according to the U.S. Fish aril Wildlife Service (USFWS), Ecological Services Office in Grand <br />Junction, Colorado, 3 TES sari 1 candidate plant species have the ,~.iten[ia1 to occur in La Plata <br />County. Knowlton's cactus (Pediocactus kr:owitonii} and IvTarcos milkvetch (Asrragalus <br />humillimus) are listed endan~e;ed species. Mesa Verde cactus (Scl~~ ocactus mesa-verde) is Listed <br />threatened, and Sleeping Ute r.!ilkvetch (Astragalus tortipes) is a ca°.uidate species for listing. <br />No Knowlton's cactus, Mesa V" -rde cactus, lvlancos milkvetch, S leep`itg Ute milkvetch, or any other <br />sensitive flora' species aze ' known to occur on the lands abov_ ~ the proposed project area. <br />Additionally, based on previa::s biological descriptions of the proje: ' :.rea, no habitat exists for anv <br />of these TES flora species ire :-e project area. <br />According to tl•e USFWS, 7 ! ~ ~ ed species have potential to occur it ' ;i Plata Cour; ~ .These are the <br />endangered Southwestern w;;aw flycatcher (En:pidonax trailli e•~Ei;::us), the endangered Black- <br />footed ferret (kr'ustela nigrip~:. 1, the endangered Colorado pikeminr: ~w (Ptychocheilus Lucius), the <br />endangered Humpback chub ; ~:=ila cvpha), the endangered Razorbac.'.-; pucker (,Fyra~cchen teaauus)> <br />the threatened Bald eagle (N_c.'iaeetus leucicephalus), the threaten:: Mexican spotted owl (Strir <br />occidentalis lucid,), and the candidate Western boreal toad (Bufc r. areas boreas). The recently <br />delisted Peregrine falcon (Fn~so pereginus) is also kno~•n to peer°. in La Plata County and may <br />incidentally occur in or near :'. ~ project aze,. <br />Of the federally listed fauna :.; :cies with potential to occur in La Pl: <br />is known to occur in or near rh ~ pmject area. No listed fish species c <br />are no perennial surface wata resources present. Surface water de <br />therefore there will not be am' impact on listed fish species. Tl-. <br />kno.vn to occur above 8,000 :Feet in elevation; the project is at Les <br />There are no records of the B'.ack-footed ferret from southwestern <br />habitat (e.g., steep canyons, ucnse forested areas) for the Mexican. <br />project aze,. There are no riparian areas in the project aze, prop <br />Southwestern willow flycatcher. <br />County, on:• the Bald eagle <br />tr in the pmject area as there <br />;tions are not expected, and <br />z Western boreal toad is only <br />'han 8,200 feet in elevation. <br />lorado. Th~~ a is no suitable <br />~tted owl «~ithin or neaz the <br />ing potential habitat for the <br />Bald eagle may incidentally occur in the project aze, at any time of :he year. The highest density <br />of Bald eagles in the county cec urs during the winter months (Nov-M<.r}. Oderwinteting Bald eagles <br />commonly utilize river corrid::rs in the county. No winter roost sites cr nesting aeeas are known in <br />the vicinity of the project aze<:. <br />LAND USE <br />The coal estate is reserved to t!~e United States on all of the propose {ease area. T'ite coal estate in <br />Section 36 is reserved for the State of Colorado. <br />The proposed project area is t:tilized for livestock grazing. <br />10 <br />