2011-12-22_PERMIT FILE - X201123500 (2)

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Vegetation and Wildlife Baseline Survey Report Linc Energy Little Snake River Project 5.3 Threatened & Endangered Wildlife Species The USFWS maintains a list of federal Endangered, Threatened, Proposed, and Candidate Species that occur in or may be affected by projects in Moffat County, Colorado (http: / /www.fws.gov /mountain - prairie /co.html). The USFWS updates this species list annually or sooner if any listing changes occur. According to this USFWS list (November 2011) the following federally listed wildlife species may occur in, or may be affected by, projects in Moffat County: Fish • Bonytail chub (Gila elegans - Endangered Species) • Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus Lucius - Endangered Species) • Humpback chub (Gila cypha - Endangered Species) • Razorback sucker ( Xyrauchen texanus - Endangered Species) Birds • Greater sage - grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus - Candidate Species) • Mexican Spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida - Threatened Species)) • Yellow - Billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus - Candidate Species) Mammals • Black - Footed ferret (Mustela nigripes Endangered Species, Experimental Population, Non - Essential) • Canada lynx (Lynx Canadensis - Threatened Species) • North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus - Candidate Species) Because the project is entirely on state surface and state mineral there will be no federal action or decision and therefore no ESA Section 7 consultation will occur. However, Section 9 compliance will apply. If the construction or operation of the project were to result in the "take" of a federally listed wildlife species, the applicant could be in violation of the ESA. 5.3.1 Fish Four federally endangered fish species may occur as downstream residents of the Colorado River system: Colorado pikeminnow ( Ptychocheilus lucius), bonytail (Gila elegans), humpback chub (Gila cypha), and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus). All four of these species evolved in the Colorado River and are adapted to its natural seasonal and annual fluctuations of flow. Generally, these species spawn over rocky runs and gravel bars when water rises in the spring and temperatures increase. Young fish appear to remain in shallow littoral zones then disperse to deeper water and are transported downstream, but are poorly known because of their scarcity. Nonbreeding adults occupy a variety of habitats (impounded and riverine areas, eddies, backwaters, gravel pits, flooded bottoms and the flooded mouths of tributaries, slow runs, sandy riffles, with areas having deeper water used in summer). The Colorado pikeminnow, bonytail, and humpback chub are all members of the minnow family. The razorback sucker is a member of the sucker family. All four of these fish species share similar habitat requirements and historically occupied the same river systems. Declines in Habitat Management, Inc. Page 10 December 2011