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Trapper surface control available for grazing. Range site A was found to have a mean of .51 <br />AUM's per acre based on 1980 production data. Based on a six months grazing season, range <br />site A has 190 AUM's available for use per month (Table 2.3 -23). Converted to sheep use, 817 <br />sheep could graze this range site for six months without excessive use. <br />The other mountain shrub range site (B), comprises only 955 acres of the lands presently under <br />Trapper surface control for grazing use. Mean AUM's per acre available for grazing within this <br />range site is .34 based on 1980 production data (Table 2.3 -23). Based on a six months grazing <br />season, 55 AUM's are available per month within this range site. Converted to sheep use, 235 <br />sheep could graze range site B without excessive use. <br />2.3.5 Potential Impact to Threatened and Endanaered Plant Species <br />Those plant species listed as threatened or endangered and known to occur in Moffat County at <br />elevations between 6500 feet and 8000 feet are listed in Table 2.3 -24. The list of threatened or <br />endangered species is based upon documents received from the Bureau of Land Management <br />District office, Craig, Colorado (Appendix D) and the Plant Information Network (PIN) developed <br />at Colorado State University. <br />Of the seven total species thought to occur in Moffat County, only three could occur within the <br />elevation range which bounds the proposed mine plan area. None of these have been <br />encountered to date. If future vegetation analysis reveals that any such species are present, they <br />will be reported to the appropriate State and Federal agencies. <br />Based on inventories conducted by Ecology Consultants, Inc. in 1972 and Trapper Mine in 1979 <br />and 1980 no threatened or endangered plant species occur or will be impacted by mining activities <br />within the proposed mine plan area boundary. <br />In October 2012 Trapper Mine personnel conducted a thorough search of Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service (NRGS) and Colorado Natural Heritage Program (administered through <br />Colorado State University) data bases. That search showed that the range of no Colorado <br />endangered plant species is within the Trapper Mine permit or adjacent areas. Only one plant <br />species of Colorado "special interest," Wetherill Milkvetch (Astragalus wetherrllir), is potentially <br />found within the range of Trapper's permit area. However, this species is not expected to be found <br />at Trapper because its habitat —steep slopes, canyon benches, and talus under cliffs in <br />association with sagebrush and juniper —does not exist within Trapper's permit boundary. <br />2 -121 <br />