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

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aze lazge expanses of suitable habitat that would remain unaffected by the operations. No riparian habitat that might be used by species such as the southwestern willow ~ flycatcher or gallery forests used by the yellow-billed cuckoo would be lost due to road ` and drill pad site construction. There will be small amounts of habitat affected and changes in vegetation patterns could actually be beneficial to some of these as well as other non-listed species. Management Indicator Species listed by the I1SFS for the GMUG were also addressed. Habitat is lacking for some of the species; others such as deer, elk and bears aze common in the area. Of the remaining species, only the hairy woodpecker was observed during the studies. The limited amount of habitat to be disturbed should not affect use of this azea by these birds. DRILL SITES AND ACCESS ROADS Farmer's Mine Road Farmer's Mine Road Habitat Survey The Farmer's Mine Road runs in a northerly direction, approximately 1.7 miles from the private land gate at the end of the county road, to its junction with the PBRL-I03-Ol drill- site road. It is generally situated on a southerly to southwesterly exposure. Elevation at the gate is about 6940 feet and rises to almost 7600 feet at the referenced junction. The grade averages 7°Jo, but there are several sections of road with grades from 15-20% as the road ascends through 6 switchbacks before reaching the upper ridgeline. From this point, the road is on a gentle grade, which actually descends to the junction. In several places, the route parallels sandstone cliffs, which offer potential nesting sites for raptors and other birds. Habitat types along the route range from Pinyon/juniper to mountain shrub with scattered aspen clones at the upper end of the road. Primary vegetation consists of Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulonun), Colorado pinyon (Pinus edulis), Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate) snowberry (Symphoricarpus occidentalis), servicebeny(Amelanchie alnifolia), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) and aspen (Populus tremuloides) with grass-forb vegetative communities occupying the scattered meadows.