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not occur. However, considering the project's short -term nature and diminutive involvement of low elevation shrubland (3 -4 acres per year) and woodland (less than 2 acres per year) habitats, the consequence of not leasing or developing the Red Wash Tract on the abundance, distribution, or viability of any breeding migratory bird would be immeasurably small and practically undetectable at any landscape scale. Stipulations to be Applied as Mitigation: Surface disturbing activities required for the development of surface features associated with lease development would be required to avoid, to the extent practicable, the core migratory bird nesting season (i.e., 15 May to 15 July). TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE Affected Environment: Big Game The project area is encompassed by Game Management Unit (GMU) 10, which in the case of both deer and elk, is a single -GMU Data Analysis Unit (DAU). A DAU is the geographic area that represents the year -round range of a particular big game herd and the basis for herd population objectives established by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). The entire lease tract is encompassed by deer and elk winter ranges that serve as severe winter range to both species (i.e., support 90 percent or more of the local population during the worst 2 winters of 10) and, in the case of deer, are designated winter concentration areas (support at least twice the animal density of surrounding ranges). Small numbers of pronghorn are also present on the lease tract throughout the year. The lease tract is roughly configured as a narrow (0.5 to 2 mile) margin around the northern perimeter of existing coal mine operations. Coal mine infrastructure that presently exists within the proposed lease tract includes: a 109 -acre coal refuse disposal area, 2 miles of improved haul road, 1.4 miles of railroad, an 11 -acre railroad load -out, and 0.75 mile of all- weather vehicular access road to the loadout, and 1.3 miles of coal conveyor and its accompanying maintenance road. The tract is traversed by RBC 65 on the west and RBC 73 on its southeast corner. Overall road density in the lease tract, including unimproved roads and tracks, is about 3.5 miles per square mile. Raptors The lease tract is known to have supported nesting activities of several raptors, including: ferruginous hawk (three nest sites), burrowing owl (one likely nest site), and red - tailed hawk (one site). Nest sites of an additional seven ferruginous hawks, two red - tailed hawks, and one burrowing owl have been recorded within a mile of the lease tract boundaries. Although not known to nest within the boundaries of the lease tract, golden eagle, prairie falcon, northern harrier, and long -eared owl also use the lease tract as foraging habitat during the nest season. The WRFO has been unable to document ferruginous hawk use of those nest sites within the lease tract over the last two years. Ferruginous hawk reproductive activity is strongly correlated with the abundance and availability of favored prey (i.e., prairie dog, cottontail rabbit) and low occupancy rates may be associated with recent bouts of sylvatic plague along the Highway 40 DOI- BLM -CO- 110- 2012- 0023 -EA 54