APPCOR10049

• Permit No: C1994082
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 3/10/1995
• Doc Name: FAX COVER YOAST MINE COMMENTS
• From: DOW
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

00/10/95 15:47 $300 240 4811
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STATE OF COLORADO
Roy Romer, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF NAT[7RAI. RESOURCES
DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
AN EQUAL Omo¢rOMrrv FIrPIAYkY
Pcrry D. 016on, Dircc[or
6060 Broadway
Deere, Coloredo 80216
?elephone: [phone]
WILDLIFE N.W. ~ 002
•
cPv°~Oi
Bill Clark, Regional Habiu[ Manager tr~.
Nor[hwed Regioo ~
7111ndcpcndco[ Arcnue
Grand JunMion, CO 81505 FOT W'Id1j~6-
[phone]-I86
FAX [phone]L1 For People
MEMORANDUM
March 10, 1995
TO: Susan Burgmaier, DMG
FROM:G~YIK~31ll Clark
RE: Yoast Mine -Peabody Coal
District Wildlife Manager Jim Hicks of Hayden has reviewed wildlife information in
the plan submitted by Peabody. Concerns with this mine relate primarily to impacts
on sharp-tail grouse, sage grouse and loss of vegetative and animal biodiversity in
impacted areas.
Specific comments on Tab 23/Fish and Wildlife Plan include the following:
1. Page 3, paragraph 1, implies direct impacts will be mitigated by incremental
reclamation. It is our opinion reclaimed areas will not approximate original
conditions of vegetative and animal community diversity, structure, composition
or biomass.
2. Page 3, paragraph 3 states no net loss of habitat will occur. A net loss of pre-
mining habitat will occur. The alteration to another habitat type might have
long term negative implications for sensitive species like sharp-tail grouse.
3. Page 4, paragraph 4 predicts the loss of a sharp-tail grouse lek would not be
severe. Since biologists are unsure of factors critical for lek selection, it is not
certain that loss of leks would have no effect on this spccics survivability.
Even though suitable, abundant habitat appears available, it remains
unoccupied. Therefore, we cannot assume local populations will merely
relocate with no impact.
4. Page 5, paragraph 5 should consider sage grouse of equal or greater concern
than sharp-tail grouse and greater sandhill crane. Recent concern with rates of
sage grouse lek extinction ill northwest Colorado are indicative of the problems
this species faces in this area. Existing sage grouse populations in the Twenty-
mile Park are a fraction of the number they once were. Sage grouse on and
DEPARTMENT OF NATIMAL RESOURCES, ]ama LorJrhad, Exew[:re Director
WIIDLIFE CO.VIlYIIA'tON, Louis F. Swig, Yrre Chai~wm • Amo1d SaLvar, 5ecnfary • Ieese L. Bord, ]r., Member • Raharu Frank,
Member • VVr9i0m R Hogberg, Member • Mark ixVaOeY, Mauher • John lS~Der, Member. • John SId0. Member