NRC-105 Submitted: June 20, 2014 FINAL STATEWIDE PROGRAMMATIC BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: BLACK-FOOTED FERRET (Mustela nigripes) United States Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office August 25, 2005 STATEWIDE PROGRAMMATIC BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: BLACK-FOOTED FERRET (Mustela nigripes) U.S. Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Road P.O. Box 1828 Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003 August 25, 2005 Lorraine Keith, Bureau of Land Management TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 1-1 Purpose................................................................................................................................................ 1-1 Organization of Report ....................................................................................................................... 1-1 Methods .............................................................................................................................................. 1-2 2.0 Species Information ............................................................................................................................ 2-1 Listing Status ...................................................................................................................................... 2-1 Distribution ............................................................................................................................ 2-1 Ecology ............................................................................................................................................... 2-5 Habitat Description ................................................................................................................ 2-5 Species Description................................................................................................................ 2-5 Threats ................................................................................................................................... 2-5 Environmental Baseline...................................................................................................................... 2-7 Buffalo Field Office – Buffalo RMP ..................................................................................... 2-7 Casper Field Office – Platte River RMP................................................................................ 2-9 Cody Field Office – Cody RMP ............................................................................................ 2-9 Kemmerer Field Office – Kemmerer RMP ......................................................................... 2-12 Lander Field Office – Lander RMP..................................................................................... 2-12 Newcastle Field Office – Newcastle RMP .......................................................................... 2-12 Pinedale Field Office – Pinedale RMP and Snake River RMP ........................................... 2-14 Rawlins Field Office – Great Divide RMP.......................................................................... 2-14 Rock Springs Field Office – Green River RMP .................................................................. 2-15 Worland Field Office – Grass Creek RMP and Washakie RMP ......................................... 2-16 3.0 Analysis of Resource Management Plans...........................................................................................3-1 Shirley Basin Nonessential Experimental Population ........................................................... 3-4 Access .................................................................................................................................... 3-4 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 3-6 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.............................................................................. 3-7 Cultural Resources................................................................................................................. 3-8 Fire......................................................................................................................................... 3-9 Forest Resources.................................................................................................................. 3-11 Hazardous Materials ............................................................................................................ 3-12 Lands and Realty ................................................................................................................. 3-13 Livestock Grazing................................................................................................................ 3-14 Geology and Minerals Resources ........................................................................................ 3-16 Off-Highway Vehicles......................................................................................................... 3-21 Paleontological Resources ................................................................................................... 3-22 Recreation Resources........................................................................................................... 3-23 Riparian Areas ..................................................................................................................... 3-25 Special Status Species or Sensitive Plants ........................................................................... 3-26 Soils ..................................................................................................................................... 3-27 Surface Disturbance Restriction Decisions.......................................................................... 3-28 Threatened, Endangered, and Candidate Species Protection............................................... 3-30 Vegetation Resources .......................................................................................................... 3-30 Visual Resources.................................................................................................................. 3-32 Watershed and Water Resources ......................................................................................... 3-33 Wild and Scenic Rivers........................................................................................................ 3-35 Wild Horse........................................................................................................................... 3-36 Wilderness Resources .......................................................................................................... 3-37 BLACK-FOOTED FERRET Final-BA25Aug05CM.doc i Wildlife Habitat ................................................................................................................... 3-38 4.0 Conservation Strategies ...................................................................................................................... 4-1 Conservation Measures....................................................................................................................... 4-1 Species Conservation Measures............................................................................................. 4-1 Habitat and Mapping Measures ............................................................................................. 4-2 Recovery/Reintroduction Measures....................................................................................... 4-2 Best Management Practices ................................................................................................................ 4-3 5.0 References........................................................................................................................................... 5-1 TABLES Table 3-1 Previous RMP Consultation for Black-footed Ferrets ........................................................... 3-1 Table 3-2 Summary of Black-footed Ferret Effects Determinations ................................................... 3-41 MAPS Map 1 Black-footed Ferret Distribution Records in Wyoming......................................................... 1-3 Map 2 Historic Distribution of White-tailed and Black-tailed Prairie Dogs in Wyoming................ 2-2 Map 3 Significant Prairie Dog Complexes in Wyoming .................................................................. 2-4 Map 4 Black-footed Ferret Distribution Records, Prairie Dog Historic Range, and Significant Prairie Dog Complexes in Northeastern Wyoming ............................................................................................. 2-8 Map 5 Black-footed Ferret Distribution Records, Prairie Dog Historic Range, and Significant Prairie Dog Complexes in Southeastern Wyoming ........................................................................................... 2-10 Map 6 Black-footed Ferret Distribution Records, Prairie Dog Historic Range, and Significant Prairie Complexes in Northwestern Wyoming.................................................................................................. 2-11 Map 7 Black-footed Ferret Distribution Records, Prairie Dog Historic Range and Significant Prairie Dog Complexes in Southwestern Wyoming.......................................................................................... 2-13 APPENDIX