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BOWIE 2004 IRON POINT GULCH EXPLORATION <br />LICENSE <br />WILDLIFE HABITAT EVALUATIONS AND INVENTORY <br />FOR T&E, SENSITIVE AND MANAGEMENT INDICATOR <br />SPECIES <br />INTRODUCTION <br />This is a continuation of work associated with drilling programs initiated in 2000. This <br />information was gathered during three survey periods from mid-May through early June. <br />Under the fmal Iron Point Exploration License, Iron Point Coal Lease Tract and Elk <br />Creek Coal Lease Tract EIS and record of Decision (ROD) the licensee is required to <br />submit habitat and wildlife information prior to construction of any new drill pad or road. <br />Information requirements and methodologies were established during consultations with <br />Federal and State agency biologists in 2000. These same methodologies have been used <br />~ in subsequent yeazs. These include assessment of habitat at each proposed drill site and <br />~ along each road corridor. Wildlife surveys were conducted for a radius of 400 feet <br />• azound each site and 400 feet either side of proposed road corridors. Emphasis was <br />placed on T&E and species of high federal or state interest and sensitive species. In <br />addition to these surveys, suitable raptor nesting habitat within a 1/4 mile radius of each <br />drill site or road corridor was checked for both active and inactive nests. However, in <br />~ those cases where ridgelines or stands of trees created visual bamers surveys were only <br />' conducted in suitable habitat found on the drill site/access road side of the ridge or stand <br />of trees. There aze also instances where other features created suitable visual barriers that <br />affected distances from drill sites or roads that were surveyed. <br />Each site and access road was surveyed for wildlife activity, especially T&E and <br />sensitive species on three different occasions. Each site was surveyed at approximately <br />10 - 14 day intervals between mid-May and eazly June. This is considered to be the peak <br />of nesting activity for most bird species in this azea. It is also the peak of parturition <br />activity for many mammalian species. <br />A total of 4 drill sites and associated roads were surveyed. In addition, the proposed Pond <br />4 access route was surveyed and a "raptor only" survey was conducted for Site IPG 99-7 <br />in Hubbazd Creek. A summary of findings for each drill site and road corridor follows. <br />Drill site locations and access roads aze shown on Figure 1. <br />A record was kept of all birds observed during the site surveys. No attempt was made to <br />quantify numbers observed at each location. A total of 61 different bird species were <br />• observed during the surveys and during travel to and from sites. Several flycatchers were <br />observed, but due to brevity of observation, distance, etc. were not identified as to <br />species. All species identified and the location where they were observed are included in <br />