Apogee biologists completed a Biological Assessment (BA) for the Federally Endangered Indiana bat. The BA was for a proposed coal mine that consisted of over 2,000 acres and was located in southern West Virginia.
The project required being finished within a one month period in order for the project to be reviewed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and for the project to proceed uninterrupted. The BA was completed for the project and then furnished to USFWS for review. Based upon the BA the USFWS provided a Biological Opinion (BO) for the project.
As part of the BO the USFWS required long-term monitoring for the Indiana bat near the proposed project. This monitoring is now in its 8th year and has been within budget for all eight years.
