2020-03-24_PERMIT FILE - C1981019A (5)

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RULE 2 PERMITS wildlife habitat. Several meetings were held with USFWS and CPW personnel during 1979 and 1980 to discuss any additional resource information that is available and also to assess the management techniques employed by Colowyo. CPW personnel were contacted November, 1990 regarding any significant updates on their Wildlife Value Maps.Map 14,Wildlife Agent Information was updated and reflects these changes. The following wildlife resource information has been developed from five years of observations, site specific analysis, existing literature, contracts with wildlife biologists at other mines in northwest Colowyo, and numerous contacts with State and Federal Wildlife officials. Most of the following information remains virtually unchanged as submitted initially in the First Colowyo Permit Application. Notations are made where necessary to refer the reader to substantially updated information in the CDM November, 1985 report. Wildlife Habitat Use Study Colowyo initiated a revegetation and wildlife habitat use study in 1974 to determine the feasibility and techniques of revegetating with native shrub revegetation adapted to the mine site. The study consisted of two separate but closely coordinated areas. The main objective of the revegetation test plot study was to determine the most cost effective and successful methods of establishing mature shrubs. The revegetation test plot study is set forth in Exhibit 10, Vegetation Information. The wildlife habitat use study was designed to determine the condition, trends, and seasonal use characteristics within the anticipated areas of disturbance. Large Mammals The wildlife habitat use study was primarily oriented towards evaluating the use of the mine site and surrounding area by big game, i.e., deer and elk. The study which was conducted by VTN, consisted of aerial and ground observations,browse utilization studies, and pellet group transects. Specifically the studies were directed towards providing the following information: (1) Seasonal habitat use patterns by deer, elk, and cattle and competition for browse between these species. (2) Condition of range and browse and trends in the habitat carrying capacity (i.e., increasing or decreasing). (3) Interspecific differences in utilization of browse species and intraspecific differences in utilization under different conditions at various sites. (4) Impacts of mining and habitat management measures to maintain total browse availability. The techniques used to provide this information included intensive and extensive browse utilization transects and pellet group plot counts. Rule 2 Permits 2.04-58 Revision Date: 12/20/19 Revision No.: TR-135