DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROPOSAL OF CRITICAL HABITAT FOR IPOMOPSIS POLYANTHA (PAGOSA SKYROCKET), PENSTEMON DEBILIS (PARACHUTE BEARDTONGUE), AND PHACELIA SUBMUTICA (DEBEQUE PHACELIA) IN COLORADO Prepared by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Western Colorado Ecological Services Field Office Grand Junction, Colorado March 26, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.0 Purpose for the Proposed Action ....................................................................................................................... 4 2.0 Need for the Action ........................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Background – Ipomopsis polyantha (Pagosa skyrocket) .............................................................................. 5 Species Description ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Geographic Range ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Ecology and Life History ................................................................................................................................... 5 Habitat ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 Threats ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Background – Penstemon debilis ............................................................................................................... 10 Species Description ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Geographic Range ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Ecology and Life History ................................................................................................................................. 11 Habitat ............................................................................................................................................................. 12 Threats ............................................................................................................................................................. 12 2.3 Background – Phacelia submutica ............................................................................................................. 17 Species Description ......................................................................................................................................... 17 Geographic Range ........................................................................................................................................... 18 Ecology and Life History ................................................................................................................................. 18 Habitat ............................................................................................................................................................. 19 Threats ............................................................................................................................................................. 19 2.4 Endangered Species Act ............................................................................................................................. 23 2.4.1 Critical Habitat ....................................................................................................................................... 23 2.4.2 Section 7 Consultation ........................................................................................................................... 24 2.4.3 Technical Assistance.............................................................................................................................. 25 2.4.4 Section 9 Prohibitions ............................................................................................................................ 26 2.4.5 Section 10 Permits ................................................................................................................................. 26 3.0 Description of Alternatives .............................................................................................................................. 26 3.1 Alternatives Considered But Not Fully Evaluated ..................................................................................... 27 3.2 Alternative A. No Action Alternative ....................................................................................................... 27 3.3 Alternative B. Designation of Critical Habitat as Identified in the Proposed Rule - (Proposed Action) ... 27 3.4 Summary of Actions by Alternative ................................................................................................................. 30 4.0 Description of the Affected Environment ........................................................................................................ 31 4.1 Physical Environment ................................................................................................................................ 31 4.2 Fish, Wildlife, and Plants ........................................................................................................................... 31 4.3 Human Environment .................................................................................................................................. 35 4.4 Tribal Lands ............................................................................................................................................... 35 5.0 Environmental Consequences .......................................................................................................................... 35 5.1 Physical Environment ................................................................................................................................ 36 5.2 Fish, Wildlife, and Plants ........................................................................................................................... 36 5.2.1 Ipomopsis polyantha, Penstemon debilis, and Phacelia submutica ....................................................... 36 5.2.2 Other Fish, Wildlife and Plant Species .................................................................................................. 37 5.3 Human Environment .................................................................................................................................. 38 5.3.1 Energy Development ............................................................................................................................. 41 5.3.2 Transportation Projects .......................................................................................................................... 41 5.3.3 Agriculture and Grazing ........................................................................................................................ 42 5.3.4 Recreation .............................................................................................................................................. 42 5.3.5 Residential and Commercial Development ............................................................................................ 43 5.4 Technical Assistance Requests of the Service ............................................................................................ 43 5.5 Archeological and Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................... 43 5.6 Environmental Justice ................................................................................................................................ 44 5.7 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................................................... 44 6.0 Council on Environmental Quality Analysis of Significance .......................................................................... 47 ii 6.1 Context ....................................................................................................................................................... 47 6.2 Intensity ...................................................................................................................................................... 47 7.0 Contacts and Coordination With Others .......................................................................................................... 48 7.1 List of Agencies, Organizations, and Persons to Whom Copies of This Environmental Assessment Were Sent or Contacted..................................................................................................................................................... 48 8.0 List of Contributors.......................................................................................................................................... 50 9.0 Literature Cited ...............................................................................................................................................