Appendix K – Biological Assessment and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Concurrence Letter 249 Biological Assessment to analyze the effects of Amending BLM and USFS Land Use Plans To address: Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed Land Use Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement 16 March 2015 Revised May 20, 2015 250 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 253 2.0 Project History .................................................................................................................................... 254 3.0 Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................................... 255 4.0 Analysis Area ...................................................................................................................................... 256 5.0 Description of Changes to Existing Management identified in the Proposed Land Use Plan Amendments ............................................................................................................................................. 258 6.0 Species Considered in the Analysis .................................................................................................... 285 6.1 Blowout Penstemon (Penstemon haydenii) - Endangered .............................................................. 293 6.2 Colorado Butterfly Plant (Gaura neomexicana var. coloradensis) - Threatened ........................... 294 6.3 Desert yellowhead (Yermo xanthocephalus) – Threatened ............................................................. 296 6.4 Ute Ladies’ -tresses (Spiranthes diluvialis) - Threatened ............................................................... 297 6.5 Western prairie-fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara)-Endangered ............................................ 299 6.6 Bonytail (Gila elegans) - Endangered ............................................................................................ 300 6.7 Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) - Endangered .......................................................... 301 6.8 Humpback Chub (Gila cypha) - Endangered .................................................................................. 303 6.9 Kendall Warm Springs Dace (Rhinichthys osculus thermalis) - Endangered ................................. 304 6.10 Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus)-Endangered ................................................................... 306 6.11 Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) - Endangered .................................................................. 307 6.12 Wyoming Toad (Bufo baxteri) - Endangered ................................................................................ 308 6.13 Least Tern (Sterna antillarum)-Endangered ................................................................................. 310 6.14 Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) -Endangered ....................................................................... 311 6.15 Western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) - Threatened ........................................... 312 6.16 Whooping Crane (Grus americana) - Endangered ....................................................................... 313 6.17 Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) - Endangered ................................................................. 314 6.18 Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) - Threatened .............................................................................. 316 6.19 Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) - Threatened ..................................................................................... 317 6.20 Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudonius preblei) - Threatened ................................. 319 6.21 Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis ) - Proposed ................................................... 320 6.22 Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) – Non-essential experimental .............................................................. 323 7.0 Effects of Selected Alternative ........................................................................................................... 326 7.1 Blowout Penstemon (Penstemon haydenii) - Endangered .............................................................. 326 7.1.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 326 7.1.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 332 7.2 Colorado Butterfly Plant (Gaura neomexicana var. coloradensis) - Threatened ........................... 333 7.2.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 333 7.2.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 338 7.3 Desert yellowhead (Yermo xanthocephalus) – Threatened ............................................................ 339 251 7.3.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 339 7.3.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 343 7.4 Ute Ladies’ -tresses (Spiranthes diluvialis) - Threatened ............................................................... 345 7.4.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 345 7.4.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 350 7.5 Platte River Species- Western prairie-Fringed Orchid (Platanthera praeclara)-Endangered, Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus)-Endangered, Least tern (Sterna antillarum)-Endangered, Piping Plover (Charradrius melodus) –Endangered, Whooping crane (Grus americana) - Endangered ........ 352 7.5.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 352 7.5.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 356 7.6 Endangered Colorado River Fish Species- Bonytail (Gila elegans), Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) , Humpback Chub (Gila cypha) Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus)- Endangered ........................................................................................................................................... 359 7.6.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 359 7.6.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 363 7.7 Kendall Warm Springs Dace (Rhinichthys osculus thermalis) - Endangered ................................. 365 7.7.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 365 7.7.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 370 7.8 Wyoming Toad (Bufo baxteri) - Endangered .................................................................................. 371 7.8.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 371 7.8.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 375 7.9 Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) – Endangered, Experimental ........................................... 376 7.9.1 Effects of Selected Alternative ................................................................................................................ 376 7.9.2 Effects Determination ............................................................................................................................. 381 7.10 Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) - Threatened .............................................................................. 383 7.10.1 Effects of Selected Alternative .............................................................................................................. 383 7.10.2 Effects Determination ........................................................................................................................... 388 7.11 Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) - Threatened ..................................................................................... 390 7.11.1 Effects of Selected Alternative .............................................................................................................. 390 7.11.2 Effects Determination ........................................................................................................................... 394 7.12 Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudonius preblei) - Threatened ................................. 395 7.12.1 Effects of Selected Alternative