COAL MINING INDIANA BAT POPULATION TRENDS KIMERY VORIES

COAL MINING & INDIANA BAT POPULATION TRENDS KIMERY VORIES OSM ALTON, IL

CURRENT STATUS • OSM has initiated meetings with the Assistant Regional Directors with Regions 3, 4, and 5 of the US FWS to explore options for resolution of regional inconsistencies with handling SMCRA permitting related to T & E species.

Range of the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) in relation to Eastern U. S. Coal Fields Approximate Indiana Bat Composite Range (summer and winter) Isolated Record Priority I Hibernacula (>30, 000 bats since 1960) Anthracite (potentially minable) Lignite (potentially minable) Low Volatile Bituminous (potentially minable) Medium and High Volatile Bituminous (other uses) Bat Conservation International Coal field and Indiana bat range (based on data compiled by Bat Conservation International) boundaries were accessed via The National Atlas of the United States (http: //nationalatlas. gov). Map prepared by Andrew King, Bloomington, Indiana Field Office, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

SMCRA PERMITING ISSUES FOR INDIANA BATS • Inconsistency of Species Specific Protective Measures • Inconsistent adoption of OSM/FWS 1996 Biological Opinion • Overemphasis on Protection of Summer Habitat • Inadequate emphasis on Protection of Winter Habitat

• • DIFFERENCES IN PROTECTION & ENHANCEMENT PLANS Trigger for Summer Survey Types of Survey PEP Requirement Radio Telemetry Requirement Minimize Take Short Term Habitat Replacement Long Term Habitat Replacement

Trigger for Summer Survey • OH Demonstrate IB habitat does not exist or survey. • WV Over 40 acres of disturbance may Survey or Assume Presence. Over 247 acres must survey. • TN Within 10 miles of winter hibernacula or 5 miles of summer capture occurrence • KY Area with summer habitat assume presence or survey (Unapproved)

Radio Telemetry Requirement • OH, TN, WV Requirement Not Addressed • KY Radio Telemetry Required for all captured Indiana bats (Unapproved)

1996 Biological Opinion • Corp of Engineers Section 404 Permit Requirement for full Section 7 Consultation • No mention of 1996 Biological Agreement in USFWS Indiana Bat Revised Recovery Plan

Overemphasis on Protection of Summer Habitat • FWS FR NOTICE OF March 6, 2007 that States that summer habitat is not limiting to the species.

Range-wide Population of Indiana Bats

Southern Region Population of Indiana Bats

Northern Region Population of Indiana Bats

OSM TREND ANALYSIS • BAT POPULATION CHANGE VERSUS PERCENT COAL PRODUCTION CHANGE AS AN INDICATOR OF RATE OF GROWTH OR DECLINE IN COAL MINING ACTIVITY

IN BAT POPULATION CHANGE (Thousands) VERSUS (%) CHANGE IN COAL PRODUCTION Expected Trend Line for Mining to Negatively Impact Bat Population

TREND ANALYSIS • POPULATION CHANGE VERSUS TOTAL COAL PRODUCTION AS AN INDICATOR OF THE INFLUENCE OF A LARGE VERSUS SMALL STATE COAL MINING INDUSTRY

TOTAL COAL PRODUCTION (Millions of Tons) VERSUS IN BAT POPULATION CHANGE (Thousands) LARGE MEDIUM Expected Trend Line for Mining to Negatively Impact Bat Population SMALL

TREND ANALYSIS • POPULATION CHANGE VERSUS PERCENT COAL PRODUCTION TREND BY SURFACE VERSUS UNDERGROUND METHODS – GREATER THAN 60% OF COAL MINED IN THE STATE BY SURFACE MINING METHODS – GREATER THAN 60% OF COAL MINED IN THE STATE BY UNDERGROUND METHODS

IN BAT POPULATION CHANGE (Thousands) VERSUS (%) CHANGE IN COAL PRODUCTION FOR SURFACE MINED STATES Expected Trend Line for Mining to Negatively Impact Bat Population

IN BAT POPULATION CHANGE (Thousands) VERSUS (%) CHANGE IN COAL PRODUCTION BY UNDERGROUND MINED STATES Expected Trend Line for Mining to Negatively Impact Bat Population

TOTAL COAL PRODUCTION (Millions of Tons) FOR SURFACE MINED STATES VERSUS IN BAT POPULATION CHANGE (Thousands) Expected Trend Line for Mining to Negatively Impact Bat Population MEDIUM SMALL

TOTAL COAL PRODUCTION (Millions of Tons) FOR UNDERGROUND MINED STATES VERSUS IN BAT POPULATION CHANGE (Thousands) Expected Trend Line for Mining to Negatively Impact Bat Population LARGE MEDIUM

RESULTS • NO TREND COULD BE IDENTIFIED BETWEEN CHANGES IN INDIANA BAT POPULATIONS AND ASPECTS OF COAL PRODUCTION OR MINING METHOD EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.

WHAT IS THE REAL REASON FOR THE DECLINE? • Instead of mist netting the Eastern U. S. you needn’t look any further than your Internet. . .

Decline of Indiana bats in Missouri • Missouri Caves Association CLICK on the CAVE NAME to open their web site. • Missouri Members of MCA Bluff Dwellers Caverns & Browning Museum Bridal Cave Cameron Cave Cathedral Cave Crystal Cave Fantastic Caverns Fishers Cave Jacob's Cave Mark Twain Cave Marvel Cave Meramec Caverns Onondaga Cave Ozark Caverns Round Spring Caverns Talking Rocks Cavern •

Decline of Indiana bat in Arkansas Members of MCA Blanchard Springs Caverns Bull Shoals Caverns Cosmic Caverns Hurricane River Cave Mystic Caverns Old Spanish Treasure Cave War Eagle Caverns

In Conclusion, What is Required for Recovery? Detect, Restore & Protect Key Caves Protect and/or Modify Potentially Suitable Abandoned Mines Potential for Success? Outstanding! M. Tuttle BCI 2007