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APPENDIX P
<br />McClane Canyon Mine Expansion and Fruita Loadout Facility Biological Assessment
<br />High concentrations of selenium have, been .found .'in -Colorado, pftminnbws-jnhabi#ing the
<br />Colorado River within the 18 -mile reach (Osmu-ndson-et al.,'2000).. Selenium, levels present in
<br />fishes' muscle tissue .,appeared inversely •related -jo_river flows in the; :Colorado River
<br />(Osmundson et al., 2000; Hamilton et, al., '2004.). The ;leveis of:selenium-in in
<br />in of
<br />pikerninnows in the 18 -mile -reach (maisimum `of ,,17.8 -Ng/g dry:weight) • exceeded levels, (dry'-
<br />weight: 4 pg/g whole body, 8 pg/g muscle) : recognized_ as -toxic to fish (Lemly,' 1993; 'Lerr)ly
<br />1996). Colorado _ pikerrirnnows expertmeritelly_ exposed -to -various dietary and waterborne-,
<br />concentrations of selenium .produced eggs with ,sig' Acantly higher selenium levels than in the
<br />female-..0re*ht, although .the- Beta were insufficient 'toj --evaluate .effects of. selenium on
<br />reproduction'• (Buhl and. 2000}. Seleriiu_ m.' -concentrations from -2 to 5-lig/L.:in water
<br />affect fish reproduct!on and .pop,llations'but when selenium levels in .fish tissues reach 164020
<br />pglkg. (fnsh .whole - body :dry weight), teratogenesis (abnormal embryonic • developmental) 'in
<br />embryos- ensues. ,(Bureau -of Reclamation et. al., 1998; Lemly, 1996; also Section -'.4.3,2:3,
<br />Razorback Suckers, below).
<br />Bioaccumulation of:seleniu-m, in- eggs. of two trout species inhabiting streams influenced by a
<br />coal -mine- -in Alberta, .Canada , resulted -:in •significantly :higher- incidences ,:of teratogenic
<br />abnormalities in larvae' -than for fish in non -affected. control streams.,(Holm -et al., 2005).. The
<br />elevated selenium levels- in effected -waters, (6 to 32 pg/L .compared -to <5.4pg/L in unaffected
<br />waters) and the two trout speGies'(9:9 pg/g wet weight in rainbow trout eggs compared .to <6.5
<br />pg%g wet Weight•. in eggs: of -control trout) were_ a-resuft of mining seleniferous coal (Holm :et -al.,
<br />2005). '-Selenium-caused teratogiahesis,and possible reproductive failure likely -affect Colorado
<br />pii<eminnows and the speciesrecovery (FVVS, 20.09c; HaOlton,• 199.8).-
<br />-The
<br />098). -The Proposed _Aptip - could1ricrease selenium, concentrations in East Sait• Creek a_ rid Reed
<br />1/Vash 'through surface runoff avid 'direct -dischorge.of Water= held in -.sediment ponds -cin either
<br />site. Dissolved selerEium held in porids could .also .enter the waterbodies through infiltration
<br />through groundwater.and-lafeial,movements through -the waterbodies. hyporheic ones if ponds
<br />are. :not :lined.- ;:Selenium concentrations Become : elevated :in evaporation ponds -a§ Water
<br />evaporates, especially -in and environments (Seiler, 1998; Seiler et al.:, 1999).. Deep percr5iation
<br />of.wate_ r (seepage beiow•.the root zone -of plan's) ln;unl'ined-holding. ponds -could bean importanf
<br />source of contarninant,loading into the Coiorado River fn_tlie ,Grand Valley :area .(Mayo, 2008).-
<br />Foi: ezamplo, three unlined.holdirig ponds, 4.5 to,;6_ .t3 :feet:.deep, ponstrdcted,.on-*loam or -clay
<br />loam ;in the Grand Valley; lost a season, average of 11:94 ;acre-feet of ✓water per surface acre_of
<br />pond due to-seepage`:alone (Mayo,`2008).- Ronds.at,ihe Loadout Facility will be constructed ,in
<br />Billings loam to sllty'clay loam, alluvium deposits most-like!y derived from.Maricos_Shale north of
<br />the. property. The proposed Mine:sediment pond would be within Cameo fine sandVj6am;.a-
<br />-well-drained:soil that is`deeper:than K inches to bedrock,'?
<br />Coal -Releases. Coal .could enter aquatic environments through various pathways - including
<br />wind erosion- that gent✓rates -fugitive: coal -.dust,' inadvertent spills of coal during 'transport, - and
<br />slumping -and eUh6,ff from storage areas. Chemical propeities of.coal can affect aquatic habitats
<br />throiagh:.numerous pa#hvuays :dncluding (but not limited to) release of dis'solvecl ,salts,_.• trace -
<br />elerrients, and poiyarortiatie'hydrocatbgns (0A' Hs),.althougti toxicity via leaching depends on the -
<br />coal _type, mineral -;impurities, and I.- `h
<br />conditions (see Ahrens and Nlorrisey, 2005:for` a .
<br />comprehensive review).• :'iotential toxicity of selenium in •coal antl effects .on..fish were -
<br />addressed, above. - irl addition, exposure to` coal -dust can lead to _carciirtogenic effects _ p'. -fish,
<br />which has been shown when PAFis in coal dust sfimuiated :a gene (CYP.1Al) in salmon" that
<br />11 Exhibit 07 — 2010 Train Loadout Soil Survey attached to CAM -Colorado, LLC Fruita-Loadout, Colorado -
<br />Division of Reclamation,' Mining and Safety Permit No. C-2020-088.
<br />12 Appendix T and Figure 4.4-2, McClane Canyon Mining, LLC Permit Revision Application Number 2.
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<br />PR -02 10/12
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