Laserfiche WebLink
• and a survey report is submitted to and approved by the BLM or USFS, activities may <br />begin within the cleared areas. If active nest(s) are found, access -road construction <br />plans and/or drill-hole locations will be modified, in consultation with the BLM or <br />USFS, so that nest sites are not adversely affected. Development timing may be <br />constrained to preclude impacts during the breeding season (May 15 - Aug 1). <br />3) In order to lift the seasonal restriction for road and pad construction and to preclude <br />potential disturbance to nesting migratory birds: pre-construction breeding bird <br />surveys will be conducted by a qualified biologist during the breeding period within <br />the general disturbance area. Breeding bird surveys include identifying species <br />present and checking for active nests. This includes keying in on areas where males <br />are displaying when attempting to locate active nests. Once clearance surveys are <br />completed, if no active nests are found and a survey report is submitted to and <br />approved by the BLM Biologist, activities may begin within the cleared areas. If <br />active nests are found, access road construction plans and/or drill-hole locations will <br />be modified in consultation with the BLM Biologist, so that nest sites are not <br />adversely affected. Development timing will be constrained to preclude impacts <br />during the breeding season (May 15 - Aug 1). <br />4) If any raptor or breeding bird nests with eggs or young are encountered during <br />construction activities during the breeding season (May 15-Aug 1), operations will <br />cease immediately and a BLM biologist will be notified to determine appropriate <br />mitigation measures. <br />• Cumulative Impacts - On the landscape scale of the Terror Creek watershed or the <br />southern slopes of Grand Mesa, the CEL activities are unlikely to result in a detectable change in <br />cumulative impacts on migratory bird populations or habitat. <br />No Action Alternative - There would be no impacts to migratory birds or their habitat as <br />a result of CEL activities. <br />WILDLIFE, TERRESTRIAL (includes a finding on Standard 3) <br />Affected Environment: With a few exceptions, discussed below, the terrestrial wildlife <br />habitat resources for USFS lands are adequately described in the Spruce Stomp EA (BLM 2005). <br />Additional descriptions of terrestrial wildlife resources on USFS lands can be found in the USFS <br />Supplemental BA (USFS 2008a), Supplemental Biological Evaluation and Management <br />Indicator Species Assessment (USFS 2008b), and the Management Indicator Species Assessment <br />(USFS 2009). Much of the above is also applicable to BLM lands within the CEL area. BLM <br />lands are no longer classified as elk winter range by CDOW (2010c). The northern portion of <br />the USFS CEL parcel is currently classified as elk summer range (CDOW 2010c). The entire <br />CEL area is classed as mule deer summer range, and the southern end of the BLM portion of the <br />CEL area is classified as mule deer winter range (CDOW 2010c). Although CDOW identifies <br />the entire CEL area as part of the overall range for moose on Grand Mesa, the plant communities <br />on the CEL area are marginally suitable for moose, and except for rare occasions, they are not <br />expected to be present. Turkey and elk populations within the CEL area are doing well (BLM <br />2007b, USFS 2010). <br />• <br />DOI-BLM-CO-S050-2010- 0017 EA Page 30 of 43 May 2010