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STATE OF COLORADO <br />John W. Hlckenloopor, Governor <br />, <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />0 � V, ' <br />"AVIS1®M ®F WILDLIFE <br />�f�h' <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />OF'q <br />Thomas E. Remington, Director <br />6060 Broadway <br />Tor Ilfildl fC- <br />Denver, Colorado 80216 <br />Tvi-People <br />Telephone: (303) 297-1192 <br />wildlite.slale.co. us <br />151 E. 16"' Street <br />Durango, CO 81301 <br />8 March 2011 <br />Attu: La Plata County Planning Department <br />Iv1s.1-Iarrison-Roger <br />1060 East Second Avenue <br />Durango, CO 31301 <br />Dear NIrs.1-farrison-Roger: <br />On February 16'1', 2011 the CDOW received a formal request for comments regarding an application to <br />conduct gold and silver mining activity at the 11'i`AYDAY AND IDAFTO IMINE COd•IPLEX (T36"NI-R11 W -Sec <br />21 and 28). On several occasions, District Wildlife Manager Trevor Balzer discussed the proposed <br />mining activities With RZ Incorporated staff and received a complete Class It La Plata County Land Use <br />Permit application for review. <br />The proposed parcel is located within the County Road 124 corridor. The proposed parcel is in an area <br />with diverse wildlife resources. The CROW expects to find small mammals, passerine birds, red fox, <br />and coyotes in the vicinity, The property, specifically the La Plata River riparian zone, is: <br />0 Within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delineated range of (lie Southwest Willow Flycatcher, <br />a State and Federally listed Endangered species; <br />o Within the known summer use areas of local bald eagle populations and within one mile of <br />wintering bald eagle concentration areas; <br />o Northern leopard frog habitat. (The Northern leopard frog is a State species of concern) <br />Due to its proximity to the community of Mayday and other proposed residential developments, the <br />CROW expects this project to have less impact on deer and elk populations than development in. less <br />urbanized parts of the county. However this area continues to see regular use by deer, elk, black bear, <br />and mountain lion. Baldy Peak, immediately adjacent to (lie project site, serves as high duality and <br />highly utilized habitat for these large mammal species, Due to the topography of the La Plata Mountains, <br />Baldy Peak and the associated small valleys terminating to the south serve as important migration <br />corridors to and from winter range for (leer an(1 elk. The project site falls within an area mapped as <br />whiter range for elk and is widen one mile of mapped severe winter range and winter concentration <br />areas. Increased activity associated with (lie outlined mining activities will likely impact future Wintering <br />elk populations in the area. We recommend efforts to minimize winter disturbance associated with all <br />fixture mining activities as increased activity associated with mining will likely affect fixture wintering <br />elk populations in the area. <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Mike King, Executive Director <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Tint Glenn, Chair • Robert Streeter, Vice Chair . Mark Smith, Secretary <br />Members, David R. Brougham c Dennis Buechler a Dorothea Farris • Allan Jones C John Shigletary • Dean Wingfield <br />Ex Otficlo ivtembers, Mi;m Mng and John Salazar <br />