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<br /> <br />General Comments <br />Tab 23 <br />No problems with collection or interpretation of data that would affect the <br />pernvttmg process. <br />DOW would expect that any required monitoring work would be made available <br />to them in a timely manner. <br />Page 3: SCC insinuates that direct impacts to wildlife will be mitigated by <br />incremental reclamation. This is misleading since reclaimed areas will not <br />approximate original conditions for some time. <br />Page 3: The statement that no net loss of wildlife habitat will occur is misleading. <br />DOW believes a net loss of the pre-mining habitat will occur. <br />Page 4: DOW suggests that it is not known what mechanism drives sharp-tailed <br />grouse lek selection, and therefore cannot agree with the SCC statement that the <br />loss of a lek would not be a severe impact to the local population. If existing leks <br />occur on the best sites, then relocation to less optimal sites could result in long <br />term negative effects. Suitable habitat may appear to be in abundance in the <br />Hayden area, but it is still not known why ~t ~s unoccupied. DOW does state, <br />however, that there aze instances of leks occurring adjacent to traveled roads with <br />few or no apparent negative impacts. <br />Page 5: With recent developments and concerns regarding sage grouse, DOW <br />would elevate their importance to that of the sharp-tailed grouse and greater <br />sandhill cranes. There is concern with the rates of lek extinction in NW Colorado. <br />Interviews with longtime Twentymile Park residents indicate a considerable <br />decline in existing sage grouse populations in comparison to what they once were. <br />DOW further states that sage grouse activity on and adjacent to the permit azea <br />should be monitored closely. <br />