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wildlife: The sagebrush, pastureland and mixed brush vegetation types in this area support a variety of <br />wildlife species, Information an wildlife in the vicinity ofthe Sage Creek area was obtained from <br />,. . . <br />- federal and state agencies, as well as, slte?pec?f?c studies for adjacent coal properties. BLM and <br />CDGw, in partnership r?rith CNHF, keep infor?natian an area wildlife including big game and game <br />birds and other species afcancern, This includes federally- and state-listed threatened and endangered <br />ATE}species, and other species considered to be rare ar of special interest. Seneca Coal Company <br />ACC}conducts annual site?specific surveys of the Sage Creek area as part of its mine permit <br />reclamation monitoring requirements far bath the Seneca I? and ?Yaast mines. <br />Bi Game: The project area provides goad dear-round habitat far deer, elk and pronghorn. The ?]0 <br />and U.S. Fish and wildlife Service ?UFw? have identif ed winter range and critical winter range <br />within the project and adjacent areas Natural Di?rersity Infarmatian Source; http:llwww. <br />ndis.nrel.colostate.edu; accessed 417?D8?. Aerial surveys conducted in 200? by SCC mapped elk herds <br />wintering along the eastern edge afthe project area, Map ?, Sage creek ?'roject ?[rea Wi?d?;?e .?abi?a?, <br />shows wildlife habitats of importance identified by state and federal wildlife agencies, as well as results <br />of the 2007 SCC wildlife survey. <br />Raptors: The project area captains potential habitat for raptors including known nesting sites in the <br />sandstone cliffs along the eastern and southern boundary. CI]0'? data includes historic nest sites of <br />golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and other B?r?ev species, Map ? shags raptor habitats identified by <br />SCC in their annual wiidlife surveys. Adjacent areas contain historic nest locations for great horned <br />owl and prairie falcon. Bald eagles are listed as a state threatened species. ?? data shawl a <br />historic bald eagle nest location approximately 2 miles north ofthe project area, as well as, winter <br />range along the pampa River corridor. The ferruginous hawk and peregrine falcon are state listed <br />species of concerns, as well as an the BLM's sensitive species list. Their occurrence in the area is <br />likely, however, there are nn known nest locations in Qr near the Sage Creek area ?Cw data shows <br />. ? . <br />???.. the nest?r?g dYStributian far the ferruglnaus hawk further to the west m Moffat County}. <br />Came Birds: Greater sage grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse bath state and BLIV?'species of <br />conccrn? are kr?ovvn to inhabit andlar utilize the area. Map 3, Crosse ?eks rr? the Sage 'reek ??ojec? <br />?4rea, shows grouse habitat in the project area. CIw mapping, as well as SCClite-specific surveys <br />has identified l4 sage grouse ?? active} and 1 ? sharp-tailed grouse leks ? l3 ?ctive? within or <br />irn?nediately adjacent to the proposed Sage Creek project boundary. Additional Ieks likely exist in the <br />general vicinity. <br />CDCw, in partnership with federal land management agencies, recently implemented a conservation <br />plan farthegreater-sage grouse ?Calarada Creates sage-grouse Copservatian Flan, CDOw, 2000. <br />The plan recamrpends a O.G mile breeding season buffer far Greater sage-grouse and a 0.4 mile <br />breeding season buffer far Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. Exploration site ccu04d is within 0.6 miles <br />of an active sage-grouse lek. Exploration sites ccu08, 0?9, 043, ?? and 04S are within 0.4 miles of <br />an active sharp-tailed grouse lek. CIw does not anticipate any langTterrn negative impacts to grouse <br />habitat as a result of the exploration activities. Ta minimize short-term impacts, CDC?V has requested <br />that the 2009 expiaratian activities at these six sites occur outside the nesting and breeding season <br />May l to July 1}. Yn addition, Sage Creek holdings will conduct a field reconnaissance prior to <br />beginning exploration activities to ensure that the drill pad is not directly an top of an active lek, If <br />necessary, a drill pad encroaching on a lek site gill be moved to a suitable location further from the <br />active Iek site. <br />BEM and State ecies afCancern: Greater sandhill cranes are a state species afcancern ?CNHF, <br />- 2005}. CDDw has identified a historic sandhill crane nesting area slang Sage Creek northeast ofthe <br />;? <br />? Sage Creek project area. SCC site-specific surveys have documented historic sandhill crane nest <br />locations in the project area, but the 20D7 survey found r?o recent evidence of nesting Jones & Stakes, <br />??a?e Crcc?k !'rojecr - ?D?9 Nt)! { <br />??r???? {