2011-02-24_REVISION - C1981019 (4)

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Dudley bluffs twinpod Physaria obcordata T White River beardtongue Penstemon scariosus var. albiuvis C F= federally listed threatened, E = federally listed endangered, C = Federal candidate species ' Surveys should be conducted if project involves impacts to prairie dog towns or complexes of 200-acres or more for the white-tailed prairie dog (Cynoinys leucurus). A complex consists of two or more neighboring prairie dog towns within 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) of each other. '.Yampa River floodplain © There is designated critical habitat for the species within the county. * Water depletions in the Upper Colorado River Basin may affect the species and/ or critical habitat in downstream reaches in other states. We compiled the list above from an inventory for Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado, and therefore it may be that some or all of the species do not presently occupy or use the proposed project area, and/or that habitats for these species do not exist within the project area. We included the four federally-listed fishes on the list in the event that project actions involve water depletions to the Upper Colorado River Basin, or affect listed species and/or off-site habitat, including critical habitat, in downstream reaches. The Service is particularly concerned with the project's potential impacts on greater sage-grouse, a Federal candidate species. Federal candidates for official listing as threatened or endangered have no legal protection under the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. However, it is within the spirit of the Act to consider project impacts to these species. The permitted area provides a variety of habitat types for sage-grouse including lekking grounds, nesting, brood-rearing, and seasonal or transitional types such as winter range. According to the project area description, nearly 75 percent of the area is comprised of Artemisia tridentata (sagebrush) or mountain shrub vegetation communities. Colowyo's goal of reclaiming approximately 20 percent of the expansion area to sagebrush would fall short of the site's original condition and potential, with obvious impacts on local sage-grouse populations. Colowyo should make every effort to mitigate any loss of sagebrush steppe habitat types in the area. The Service would like to see a quantitative estimate of the potential loss of vegetation types as a result of the Collom Pit expansion, short- and long-term, with a comparison to rarlamatinn nlanc and nrniartinnc Based on provided maps and the project description, it appears that mining activities will occur i4-close proxinit-y4o-two greater sage-grouse4eks,-erne elf 4k rwas aeti-ve-during-t-he 2006f2fl07-- surveys. Given the last date of surveys, additional monitoring may be necessary to acquire more current data on the status of leks and to determine whether new lek sites occur. The Service recommends implementing strategies outlined in the Northwest Colorado Greater Sage Grouse Conservation Plan and the Colorado Greater Sage Grouse Plan including, but not limited to, continued lek site monitoring, off-site mitigation for habitat loss (prior to mine site development), reclamation standards (included limited use of non-native vegetation), spatial buffers (.6 miles between leks and mining disturbance), and seasonal buffers (March 1 through June 30 in sage-grouse nesting/brood-rearing habitats within four miles of leks). Finally, the Service recommends protection of rangewide sage grouse Core Population Areas and priority habitats including nesting, brood-rearing, winter, and areas of connectivity. The goal of Core Population Area management is to maintain or enhance high density or otherwise biologically