Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany 

APPENDIX C 

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT / BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION 

WILDLIFE, FISHERIES, 

and 

BOTANY SUMMARIES 

Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany C - 1 

APPENDIX C – SUMMARY OF BIOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS FOR WILDLIFE, 

FISHERIES, and BOTANICAL RESOURCES IN THE SECTION 30 LIMESTONE

MINING PROJECT AREA 

This document is a synthesis for the Wildlife and Fisheries Resource in the Section 30 Project Area. 

The summary is an effort to reduce redundancy and improve reading ease while retaining important 

content. It is not intended to meet all the legal requirements and policies associated with the BE. 

The parent BE is contained in the Section 30 Project File. 

The main purpose of a BE is to disclose, in detail, the potential effects of all alternatives to 

federally-listed and Forest Service sensitive species.1 The BE also provides a “determination 

statement” to help decision-makers and other readers see how the project might affect the longterm persistence of a species. This summary document provides simplified effects disclosures 

and determination statements for all species relevant to the Section 30 Project Area, and provides 

the reader with some of the information sources used in the analyses. 

Pre-field Review and Field Reconnaissance 

Pre-field review and field reconnaissance are essential in determining which species could occur 

in a project area, and how they might be affected. Pre-field reviews were completed using past 

survey results, district records, literature reviews, on-line databases, and Forest Plan monitoring 

reports. Field visits were performed with intent to identify suitable and/or occupied habitat for 

sensitive species. These surveys were conducted by qualified biologists, including Forest 

Service employees and contractors. In addition to species-specific surveys, additional field visits 

to the Section 30 Project Area were conducted with the general intent of identifying habitat and 

potential issues for other status species. Data from all sources mentioned above were used to 

determine design criteria needs and effects relevant to the Section 30 Project Area. 

 

1

 Federally-listed species are those that have been designated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as endangered or 

threatened (i.e., under the Endangered Species Act), including those that have been formally proposed for listing. 

Sensitive species are designated by the Regional Forester. Both categories imply rareness or sensitivity to 

management actions. 
Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany C 

Table D-1. Draft Summary of Effects of Region 2 Sensitive Wildlife and Fish Species.

Species Name

1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Mammals Black-tailed prairie dog Cynomys ludovicianus

Short and mixed grass prairie with soils conducive to burrowing (Higgins et al. 2000). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

American marten Martes americana 

Spruce forests with complex near-ground structure, extending into adjacent pine stands (Buskirk 2002). Corridor habitat includes conifer and deciduous riparian areas (Fecske 2003). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Fringed myotisMyotis thysanodes 

Roosts in caves and mines, on snags and rock faces; forages on insects in various habitats, including shrub lands, and forested areas (Schmidt 2003b). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of roosting and foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C. 

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheepOvis canadensis canadensis 

Open habitats, such as grasslands, talus slopes, rocky outcrops but may use deciduous and conifer forest with openings (Beecham et. al. 2007). 

No All Alts. 

Not within known bighorn sheep use areas. No suitable habitat present in project area, thereforethis species was not evaluated. 

Townsend’s big-eared batPlecotus townsendii 

Roosts in caves and mines, occasionally buildings; 

Yes 

(habitat) Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 
Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany C 

Species Name

1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

forages on insects in various habitats including forested and wet areas (Schmidt 2003a). Alts. B and C

Complete removal of foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C.

Birds Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia 

Short/mixed grass prairie, usually associated with ground squirrels or prairie dogs (Johnson and Anderson 2002, Tallman et al. 2002). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis

Nests primarily in dense mature conifer forests; forages in a variety of forested areas and small openings (Kennedy 2003). 

Yes 

(foraging 

habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C.

Grasshopper sparrow Ammodramus savannarum 

Grasslands of intermediate height with bare patches and moderately deep litter (Slater 2004, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Ferruginous hawk Buteo regalis 

Open grasslands, shrubsteppe, croplands, desert, and the periphery of western pinyon and juniper (Collins and Reynolds 2005). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Northern harrier Open areas; prairies, Yes Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to 
Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany C 

Species Name

1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Circus cyaneus wetlands or grasslands with 

tall dense vegetation and high residual cover; logged or burned woodlands (Slater and Rock 2005, Tallman et al. 2002). 

(habitat) potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of potentially suitable habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C.

Yellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanus (Candidate: Western US DPS) 

Low elevation riparian areas and cottonwood/willow or bur oak woodlands with dense shrub understory (Wiggins 2005b, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Olive-sided flycatcher Contopus cooperi 

Generally found in coniferous or mixed coniferous forests, along forest edges and openings caused by disturbances (Kotliar, 2007) 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

American peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus anatum 

Open areas and woodland edges (Tallman et al. 2002); nests on rocky cliffs or buildings. 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 

Usually found near open water or in areas with abundant carrion in winter (USDI Fish and Wildlife Service 2007a). 

Yes 

(foraging 

habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of potential foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C.
Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany C 

Species Name

1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus 

Open areas with scattered, low deciduous thickets, rare in higher elevations of the Black Hills (Wiggins 2005a, Tallman et al. 2002). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of potentially suitable habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. Effects of disturbance are similar between Alts. B and C.

Lewis’s woodpecker Melanerpes lewis 

Burned areas, open pine, oak, or cottonwood forests, with large snags for nesting (Abele et. al 2004, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Long-billed curlew Numenius americanus 

Short and mixed-grass prairie habitat with flat to rolling topography. Found at lower elevations of the Black Hills (Sedgwick 2006, RMBO 2001-2009, USFWS 2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Flammulated owlOtus flammeolus 

Open ponderosa pine forest, nests in cavities and large diameter snags (Hayward and Verner 1994). 

Yes 

(habitat) All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Black-backed woodpecker Picoides arcticus 

Dense pine forests that are recently burned, are in late successional or dense mature condition, or where mountain pine beetle densities are high(Moren 2002, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 
Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany C 

Species Name

1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

American three-toed woodpecker Picoides dorsalis

Old-growth conifer forests with large diameter snags, burned areas and beetle infestation areas (Wiggins 2004, RMBO 2001-2009). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Reptiles and AmphibiansNorthern leopard frog Lithobates pipiens 

Riparian and wetland areas for tadpoles, subadults, and breeding adults; upland habitats for foraging adults (Smith 2003, Smith and Keinath 2007). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Black Hills red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata pahasapae 

Moist habitats with welldeveloped ground litter such as wet meadows, woodlands, and forest-meadow edges (Smith and Stephens 2003). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Fish Mountain suckerCatostomus platyrhynchus

Occurs most often in cool, clear mountain streams, with moderate stream flow velocities but have been observed elsewhere in large rivers, lakes and reservoirs (Isaak et al. 2003) 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Lake chub Couesius plumbeus 

Cool, gravel-bottomed pools and runs of streams; rocky lake margins. Known only from Deerfield Lake (USDA Forest Service 2005). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

Invertebrates 
Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany C 

Species Name

1 Habitat Description 

Species or 

Habitat 

Present 

Alternatives Effects Summary 

Ottoe skipper Hesperia ottoe 

Restricted to undisturbed, mixed-grass to tall-grass prairie habitats with big bluestem, little bluestem and sideoats gramma. Found in Pennington, Lawrence, Fall River, and Custer Counties along the foothills of the Black Hills (Selby 2005, Marrone 2005, 2006). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of potentially suitable habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same.

Regal fritillary Speyeria idalia 

Tall-grass or mixed-grass prairie with violets. Found in Pennington, Lawrence, Fall River, and Custer Counties, rare in higher elevations of the Black Hills (Selby 2007, Marrone 2005, 2006). 

Yes 

(habitat) 

Alt. A No mining activities therefore no effect to potentially suitable habitat or species. 

Alts. B and C

Complete removal of roosting and foraging habitat. Short-term effects somewhat lesser in Alt. C due tosmaller area impacted initially; long-term effects of Alts. B and C are the same. 

Cooper’s Rocky Mountainsnail Oreohelix strigosa cooperi 

Occurs on limestone rock outcrops/cliffs at higher elevations with developed litter layer, moss, and downed woody material (Frest and Johannes 2002). 

No All Alts. No suitable habitat present in project area, therefore this species was not evaluated. 

1Obtained from R2 Sensitive Species List (FSM 2600-2009-1) 
Appendix C Section 30 Limestone Mining Project Area Summary BA/BE Wildlife, Fisheries, and Botany C - 7 

Forest Service Sensitive Species – Plants 

The determination of effects on Region 2 sensitive species in this BA/BE were made as the result 

of the information gathered in the pre-field review, field reconnaissance, survey results, and 

effects analysis for all action alternatives. The basis for these determinations was potential 

habitat, distribution, and effects from proposed activities. The determination language is set 

forth in Forest Service Manual 2670. 

Objectives, standards, and guidelines have been identified in the Forest Plan Phase II to conserve 

Region 2 sensitive species found on the Black Hills National Forest. However, the use of nonnative species in the proposed seed mix in Alternative B does not follow Forest Plan. 

The project area was surveyed for Region 2 sensitive plants species and no occurrences were 

located. Plant species with undefined suitable habitat (prairie moonwort and narrowleaf 

grapefern) appear to require a certain amount of historical disturbance to establish. Although the 

proposed action would completely remove the soil structure, effectively eradicating any 

individuals present but undetected, the reclamation process will return the site to a state that will 

support similar vegetation and may provide the disturbance required for future colonization of 

the project area by the prairie moonwort and narrowleaf grapefern. 

With implementation of the Forest Plan Phase II Amendment and all of the standards and 

guidelines adopted therein, and project specific design criteria, a determination of “May 

adversely impact individuals, but not likely to result in a loss of viability on the planning area, 

nor cause a trend to federal listing or a loss of species viability range-wide” is made for the 

following species for the proposed action: 

Prairie moonwort Botrychium campestre 

Narrowleaf grapefern Botrychium lineare