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Section 2.04.11 Page 2 January 2025 (MR-39) <br />FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES INFORMATION <br />Introduction <br /> <br />New Horizon North (NHN) herein addresses the requirements of Section 2.04.11 - Fish and <br />Wildlife Resources Information by summarizing the previously conducted fish and wildlife <br />resources surveys which have been conducted on and immediately adjacent to the proposed <br />North Mine permit area as well as new concerns that have been identified in consultation with <br />the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) and the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, <br />and Safety (DRMS). <br /> <br />In evaluating the fish and wildlife resources of this area, NHN carefully reviewed the files of <br />PCC and made a formal request of both the DRMS and CDOW to obtain their concerns prior to <br />initiating field studies. The proposed scope of the wildlife section was discussed in two meetings <br />with the DRMS held in Grand Junction and in both of these meets NHN was directed to consult <br />with the CDOW regarding their concerns. Copies of previously completed fish and wildlife <br />resources surveys of the area were obtained and reviewed and NHN held an extended meeting <br />with Mr. Tony Bonacquista, the District Wildlife Manager, stationed in Nucla and Mr. James <br />Garner, the Regional Wildlife Biologist stated in Montrose. Subsequent to this meeting NHN and <br />their consultant have obtained additional direction from Mr. Garner regarding this section. <br /> <br />Guidance obtained from the DRMS and CDOW revealed that there was sufficient data that had <br />already been collected from previous investigations and that further field studies were not <br />warranted other than the information previously collected as well as the observations made <br />between October 2008, when intensive environmental baseline studies were initiated on this tract <br />until September 2009 when these studies ended. Initially, it was NHN’s intention of copying and <br />inserting these previous studies into this Permit section. However, NHN was specifically directed <br />by the CDOW, not to make this section a dissertation and they specifically directed NHN to <br />summarize, in a short succinct manner, these previous studies in the new wildlife permit section. <br /> <br />Several formal wildlife resource investigations have been conducted on, or immediately adjacent <br />to the proposed New Horizon North Mine area. Since there are no fisheries resources on this site, <br />in the discussion that follows, wildlife will be the term used to define the scope of the studies <br />conducted on this area. <br /> <br />The extent of these investigations is shown on Map 2.04.11-1, New Horizon North Mine - <br />Wildlife Map. A discussion of each of these surveys follows. <br />