2010-11-16_PERMIT FILE - C1996083A (27)

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• BOWIE 2003 GVB, MONITORING WELLS AND B SEAM PORTAL PROJECTS WILDLIFE HABITAT EVALUATIONS AND INVENTORY FOR T&E SPECIES, SPECIES OF HIGH FEDERAL AND/OR STATE INTEREST AND SENSITIVE SPECIES INTRODUCTION This is a continuation of work associated with drilling programs that was initiated in 2000. This information was gathered during three survey periods from mid-May through eazly June. Under the final Iron Point Exploration License, Iron Point Coal Lease Tract and Elk Creek Coal Lease Tract EIS and record of Decision (ROD) the licensee is required to submit habitat and wildlife information prior to construction of any new drill pad or road. Information requirements and methodologies were established during consultations with Federal and State agency biologists in 2000. These same methodologies have been used in subsequent yeazs. They include assessment of habitat at each proposed drill site and along each road comdor. Wildlife surveys were conducted for a radius of 400 feet around each site and 400 feet either side of proposed road corridors. Emphasis was placed on T&E and species of high federal or state interest and sensitive species. In addition to these surveys, suitable raptor nesting habitat • within a 114 mile radius of each drill site or road corridor was checked for both active and inactive nests. However, in those cases where ridgelines created visual barriers surveys were only conducted in suitable habitat found on the drill site/access road side of the ridge. There are also instances where other features created suitable visual barriers that affected distances from drill sites or roads that were surveyed. Each site and access road was surveyed for wildlife activity, especially T&E and sensitive species on three different occasions. Each site was surveyed at approximately 10 - 14 day intervals between mid-May and eazly June. This is considered to be the peak of nesting activity for most bird species in this azea. It is also the peak of parturition activity for many mammalian species. A total of 8 drill sites and associated roads were surveyed. In addition, surveys for a new B Seam portal, excess fill stockpile and new refuse pile location were surveyed A summary of findings for each drill site and road corridor follows. Drill site locations, access roads, portal locations, stockpiles and refuse pile aze shown on Figure 1. A record was kept of all birds observed during the site surveys. No attempt was made to quantify numbers observed at each location. A total of 60 different bird species were observed during the surveys and during travel to and from sites. Several flycatchers were observed, but due to brevity of observation, distance, etc. were not identified as to species. All species identified and location where observed are included in Table 1. Species observed by habitat type • are shown in Appendix A. In those instances where drill sites are located immediately adjacent