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e�sJ�ao <br />C � G <br />CO 7��j •.. <br />rf•`� <br />November 1, 2016 <br />COLORADO <br />Parks and Wildlife <br />Department of Natural Resou•ces <br />Northwest Regional Center <br />711 Independent Avenue <br />Grand Junction, CO 81505 <br />Routt County Planning Department <br />Attn: Alan Goldich <br />Box 773749 <br />Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 <br />RE: CPW Comments for the SWMD Thickener Underflow Borehole and Pipeline Project <br />Dear Mr. Goldich: <br />Thank you for the opportunity to review the SWMD Thickener Underflow Borehole and <br />Pipeline project; Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) appreciates the opportunity to <br />be involved in the Routt County planning review process. We welcome the effort that <br />Twentymile Coal, LLC has made to solicit our input with regard to potential impacts to <br />wildlife. <br />CPW has a statutory responsibility to manage all wildlife species in Colorado; this <br />responsibility is embraced and fulfilled through CPW's mission to protect, preserve, <br />enhance, and manage the wildlife of Colorado for the use, benefit, and enjoyment of the <br />people of the State and its visitors. One specific way that CPW carries out its responsibility <br />is to provide comments on local land use projects such as this one. Please consider the <br />following comments and recommendations for the development of this project. <br />CPW recommends that access road, pad, and pipeline construction begin as soon as possible <br />after required permits are approved and that revegetation be completed prior to March 1, <br />2017. CPW guidelines for sharp -tail lekking restrictions begin March 15. <br />Also, based on location of the project (Columbian sharp -tailed grouse brood rearing habitat) <br />CPW recommends that Twentymile Coal, LLC use a grass mixture for re -vegetation from <br />Peabody's 2012 NORTHWESTERN COLORADO WILDLIFE MITIGATION PLAN. Specifically mix 1 or <br />mix 2 from the seed mixes specified in Table 1 of that plan (see following text). <br />Table 1, Seed Mixes for Reseeding and Interseeding Rangeland and Pastures for Habitat <br />Improvement, lists seed mixes for revegetation that would encourage the return of sagebrush <br />grassland (Mix 1), enhancement of lek and brood rearing habitat (Mix 2), revegetation or <br />enhancement of mesic drainages (Mix 3), and improving big game habitat (Mix 4). <br />Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this very important transmission line <br />project. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact District Wildlife <br />Manager Andrea Sponseller at 970-871-4668. <br />Bob D. Broscheid, Director, Colorado Parks and Wildlife • Parks and Wildlife Commission: Robert W. Bray « Chris Castilian, Chair • Jeanne Home, Vice -Chair ( ye <br />John Howard • Bill Kane • Dale Pizel • James Pribyl, Secretary • James Vigil • Dean Wingfield • Michelle Zimmerman • Alex Zipp <br />k 87G a <br />