2008-09-19_PERMIT FILE - C1981018A (11)

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• proposed to seriously impact the critical nesting habitat of the ferruginous hawks, the increased activity will likely cause them to move away from the perturbation source and hence the projected perturbation value 5. The disposal area will also impact their hunting territory but since their hunting territory is 60 square miles and the area is not saturated with ferruginous hawks, the few acres projected for loss at any given time will be insignificant. Golden eagles are common throughout their range in the western United States and are estimated at 3.84 individuals per square mile in the area of proposed impact. Although they range over a variable habitat territory of approximately 100 square miles, they prefer to nest in rocky cliff areas. If golden eagles were highly susceptible to disturbance, the planned activities would pose problems at the portal site. The portal is located in close proximity to the golden eagles. There are three known nest sites active on the cliffs east of the portal, but it is likely that only one is used during any given year as evidenced in 1979. The eagles select their nest site in the spring of a given year and use it until fledging. At this time they hunt freely over their range using a variety of habitats and perches and have little specific habitat requirements until the subsequent nesting season when they often return to the same area where they successfully nested or were fledged. The adaptive nature of golden eagles plus, the abundance of favorable habitat in both the proposed impact and adjacent areas for hunting, nesting and perching allows for a perturbation rating of 2. No surface vents were constructed within 1/4-mile of the nesting sites on the cliffs above the proposed • portal. Further protection will be given to golden eagles by providing a buffer zone along Scullion Gulch. No activity will be allowed from March 1 until June 1 in the following areas: Section 3: S-1/2 SE-1/4, E-1/2 SE-1/4 SW-1/4 and Section 10: NE-1/4 NE-1/4 of T2N, R101 W. Sage grouse are ubiquitous in open, semi-desert sagebrush and grass habitat throughout the western United States. Sagebrush and grass are relied upon for food, cover and nesting. Mating occurs in "leks", open areas used in strutting displays in the spring. In this specific instance sage grouse were concentrated 1-2 birds per hectare, along the riparian habitat of the mine and water takeout and in the grass habitats of the waste disposal site. Little preference was shown for sagebrush and minimal for mixed desert shrub. The birds were nesting and feeding in the grass areas of the waste disposal site. Sage grouse are major inhabitants of, and dependent upon, open semi-desert sagebrush and grass habitat throughout the western United States (Patterson 1952, Johnsgard 1973). Sagebrush and grass are relied upon for food, cover and nesting (Dalke et al. 1963, Braun et al. 1977). Mating occurs on "leks", open areas used for male territorial defense and female strutting displays, in the spring (Scott 1942). Knowing this, the terrestrial vertebrate consultant attempted field studies during late March and all of April. The inclement weather, including late snows in April and the first week of May, rendered the roads impassable during normal "lek" activity, and prevented field data collection until the "leks" if present would no longer be in use. One man-week, however, was spent in ground . PesmitRes.4(titif2432) 4S Y6