2011-06-17_PERMIT FILE - C1981018A (6)

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White River and the rocky pinyon juniper habitat along the western border of the lease. This . restricted habitat occupation is not, however, due to habitat preference nor to ability to occupy other habitats. It is likely due to extensive predator control in the livestock area and high pelt prices.' The proposed actions will not alter nor create problems with their habitat but will create problems for the bobcat. The perturbation value of 5 is based on increased accessibility, more people in the area and hunting pressure associated with such. Pronghorn populations are reduced over much of their range that includes grass and sagebrush habitats of the western United States. On the proposed site of the coal mine and its associated facilities, pronghorns are located only on the northern and eastern boundaries of the coal mine, the waste disposal site. They occupy the grass habitat in greater numbers (0.1 -0.5 per hectare). Although there is little of their habitat that will be seriously impacted and there is sufficient for the population levels, concern must be given to the disposal area and the coal conveyor to guarantee they do not interrupt habitat utilization. The coal conveyor was constructed to allow adequate passage of pronghorn to facilitate near normal habitat utilization. The disposal site was originally thought to potentially obstruct a natural antelope passage from range to the north of the site to a permanent water source at Cactus Reservoir. Pronghorn frequent the active portions of the disposal area using the wide -open black surface for a bedding area. The sediment ponds are also heavily used as a water source by pronghorn and other wildlife species. LITERATURE CITED is Braun, C.E., T. Britt, and R.O. Wallstad. 1977. Guidelines for maintenance of sage grouse habitats. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 5:99 -106. Dalke, P.D., D.B. Pyrah, D.C. Stanton, J.E. Crawford, E.F. Schlatter, 1963. Ecology, productivity, and management of sage grouse in Idaho. J. Wildl. Manage. 27:811 -841. Johnsgard, P.A. 1973. Grouse and quails of North America. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. 553 pp. Patterson, R.L. 1952. The sage grouse in Wyoming. Sage Books, Inc. Denver. 341 pp. Personal Communication. Clyde L. Pritchett and Clive D. Jorgensen. Dept. of Zoology Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. 25 Sept. 1980. Scott, J.W. 1942. Mating behavior of the sage grouse. Auk. 59:477 -498. IV.M.4 Perturbation Values for Prime Species The perturbation values listed (Table II.1-1-43, II.1-1-44) for the self - identified prime species are a composite of the potential impacts that might be • Technical Revision #68 (01/2011) IV -4 8