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6.2.2 Wildlife <br />A total of 19 species of state and federally - listed wildlife that have been documented to occur in <br />Gunnison County were evaluated for potential occurrence onsite. The results of the listed wildlife <br />evaluation are presented in Table 7. Of all state and federally - listed species of wildlife evaluated, <br />only two have some potential to occur onsite: the northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides <br />macrotis) and the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens). These species are both state - listed as Species <br />of Special Concern by the CDOW, but are not federally - listed. <br />These two species scored a "Some Likelihood" ranking, which was deemed justified for several <br />reasons. Both species have a wide - ranging distribution across the State of Colorado, including within <br />Gunnison County, and their numbers are thought to be relatively abundant. The northern pocket <br />gopher occurs in a wide range of upland habitats, some of which were found to occur onsite. <br />Likewise, the northern leopard frog occurs in a wide range of wetland habitats, and one individual <br />frog that may have been a northern leopard frog was observed onsite during wetland delineation <br />activities (within "Wetland B "; Wetland Delineation Report, Appendix I). The frog was resting <br />within a small, muddy, unvegetated pool approximately 6 inches deep and 10 feet across which was <br />part of Wetland B, a small ground -water fed slope wetland. It is believed that the presence of the one <br />a frog in this wetland was rather anomalous and not necessarily indicative of an onsite population. The <br />habitat conditions in and around the small unvegetated pool did not appear sufficient to support a <br />population of northern leopard frog. Of the other two onsite wetlands, Wetland B is not suitable for <br />northern leopard frogs, since there are no shallowly- inundated areas within the wetland. Wetland A <br />on the other hand is slightly larger in size at 0.2 acres and does contain areas of shallow inundation <br />along with a diverse wetland plant community. If a population of northern leopard frog does exist <br />onsite, it would most likely be present in Wetland A. See Appendix I for more detailed descriptions <br />of the three wetlands delineated onsite. <br />The onsite population of northern leopard frog, if present, will not be impacted by the RPE East <br />project because no wetland impacts are planned. Furthermore, the existing habitat connectivity <br />between the three delineated onsite wetlands will not be adversely affected by the project. Should a <br />population of northern pocket gopher exist onsite, there is some likelihood that it will be incidentally <br />impacted by permitted project activities. However, because there is little to no regulatory precedence <br />for State consultation for projects that may incidentally take a Species of Special Concern, onsite <br />quantitative surveys and alternatives /avoidance analysis are not proposed at this time. <br />• <br />P:\Mpls \06 CO \26 \06261003 MCC Refuse Pile Site Review & Permit \WorkFilesTermit Application \Text\2010- 04- 19_RPE East Permit Application.doc27 <br />