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• Fish and Wildlife Plan <br />As described in Section 2.04.11, Fish and Wildlife Resources Information, <br />surface disturbance associated with mining and related operations at the <br />Southfield mine and loadout will involve such limited areas that it will <br />have no significant impact on any fish or wildlife. In addition, as <br />documented by a letter from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, no <br />threatened, endangered, or protected species are known to exist in the <br />mine, loadout or immediately adjacent areas. While no specific wildlife <br />impacts are anticipated, EFCI's mining and reclamation plans have been <br />designed to protect and enhance any wildlife resources which may exist <br />within surface disturbance areas. Specific measures which will be used <br />to accomplish this objective include the following: <br />o Minimizing surface disturbance <br />o Preventing contamination of water resources <br />o Reestablishment of natural topographic configuration <br />• o Use of palatable species in seed mixtures and transplanting <br />of woody plant species on reclaimed area <br />EFCI recognizes that certain short term impacts will be unavoidable in the <br />immediate disturbance areas. However, EFCI's operations will not result <br />in destruction of any critical habitat values, are not expected to impact <br />any threatened or endangered species, and will not significantly reduce <br />the population of any given specie. <br />Short term impacts are expected to be effectively mitigated by the <br />availability of extensive areas of similar habitat surrounding the <br />proposed disturbance and EFCI's comprehensive reclamation plan. Upon <br />completion of reclamation, mine disturbance areas will exhibit a similar <br />configuration and offer similar forage and habitat values to those which <br />existed in a pre- mining environment. Backfilling and grading activities <br />will result in establishment of gradual slopes which will blend with <br />surrounding terrain and will present no restrictions to wildlife access. <br />Topsoil replacement and revegetation measures will result in a diverse <br />vegetative community with browse and cover characteristics consistent with <br />wildlife requirements. <br />