2016-04-15_PERMIT FILE - M2016010 (6)

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V CONSERVING The Nature Conservancy in Colorado tel (303) 444-2950 COLORADO fax (303)444-2985 2424 Spruce Street Boulder, CO 80302 nature.org/colorado Na�e Con �YVP April 11, 2016 APR 15 2016 Ms. Amy Eschberger DMSION OF RECLAMATION Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety MINWISAND6AFE1'Y 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Subject: Transit Mix Concrete Permit#M-2016-010 Dear Amy, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) would like to provide comments regarding Transmit Mix Concrete's permit application(Permit#M-2016-10) in El Paso County. This response is based on our knowledge and interests related to the proposed quarry lease by Transit Mix Concrete on 865.97 acres in El Paso County. We have the following concerns about the possible environmental impacts of the proposed quarry: The proposed quarry site is mapped by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as Critical Habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), a federally listed threatened species. The map can be found at the link below(SRM C 1): http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/MSO critical habitat archive.html#maps. It is TNC's understanding that Transit Mix Concrete is working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as conducting surveys for owls to determine whether the proposed quarry would impact the Mexican Spotted Owl, which we believe are essential steps to determining whether the project should go forward. The site is also part of the Aiken Canyon Potential Conservation Area and was identified by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program in 2001 as a 132 site—a site of very high conservation significance. This location provides high quality foothills plant communities that are rapidly being converted to development north and south of this area. These dry (xeric)tallgrass sites along the Front Range are also rarely found in high quality condition and support several rare species of butterflies. The site contains excellent to good examples of globally-imperiled (G2 S2)mountain mahogany/needlegrass community (Cercocarpus montanus/Stipa comata), an excellent condition occurrence of a globally vulnerable (G3 S2) pinyon pine/Scribner needlegrass community (Pinus edulis/Stipa scribneri), as well as an excellent occurrence of mesic oak thicket community (Quercus gambehi-Cercocarpus montanus/Muhlenbergia montana).