2012-09-07_PERMIT FILE - M2012018 (2)

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the USFWS announced that the northern leopard frog may warrant federal protection as a threatened or endangered species. No additional information on the listing process was available at the time this document was prepared. There is one small wetland (Figure 4, Photo 4) in the bottom of an old quarry that was holding a small amount of water and has cattails (Typha spp.) and duckweed (Lemna minor) around the edges and on the water and moist sediments. This could be potential breeding habitat, but it is isolated from other water sources by habitat that is too hot and dry for a leopard frog to move through. Northern leopard frogs cannot colonize areas greater than a few miles from a breeding site and moist habitat most be available for them to travel through. Based on CNHP data, no occupied northern leopard from habitat is near the project area that could be a source population. Thus, though potential habitat is present, it is highly unlikely that northern leopard frogs have colonized this site since the end of mining activities and it is currently used for breeding. No frogs or frog tracks were noted at the wetland. 4.4 Colorado Natural Heritage Program Tracked Wildlife Species The CNHP has not mapped any rare wildlife species or potential conservation areas within the project site. S.00onclusions The project site does not offer habitat for any federally or state listed threatened, endangered, or sensitive species. The project site does not contain any designated critical habitat for federally listed species. The Colorado Natural Heritage Program does not identify any important or critical wildlife habitats or Potential Conservation Areas on or near the project site. No raptor nests are known to be present within the project site. The project site is mapped as mule deer winter range, severe winter range, and as a winter concentration area. No evidence of large numbers of mule deer using the project site at any one time was discovered during the field review. The permitting of the mine will lead to the direct loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitat. However, this area is already impacted by habitat loss to some degree by historical mining and likely to a greater degree by disturbance associated with the active mining that occurs within a 1/a mile of the project site. The permitting of the mine will not greatly increase disturbance to wildlife on neighboring parcels where mining is not occurring since all wildlife in the general area have adapted to the existing disturbances within their home ranges. Approval of the mine permit will not result in a negative population trend for any species considered herein. 5