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• for birds, and as forage for the few deer that may use the reclaimed area. The small size of the <br />permit area and large amount of adjacent habitat (see Map 2.04.11 in Section 2.04.11, Wildlife <br />Resources Information) will further serve to mitigate any impacts to wildlife populations. Because <br />of abundant irrigation water supplies it is expected that components of the swale type will <br />reestablish naturally. <br />There are no wildlife migration routes through the permit area that would require access or special <br />fencing. <br />There have been no toxic water quality problems at the New Horizon 1 area, and no phase of the <br />anticipated operations in the New Horizon 2 area would indicate any future problems. NPDES <br />permit requirements provide additional protection of water quality. <br />Pesticides may be used in extreme cases if alternative mitigation measures fail to achieve <br />adequate results. If pesticides are used, they will be selected based on the specific <br />recommendation for the target species in the current Colorado Pesticide Guide or Colorado Weed <br />Control Guide and with the approval of the CDMG. Any use of these will be in strict accordance <br />to all federal, state, or local statutes or requirements. <br />• Power Transmission facilities in the New Horizon 2 area will be designed and constructed to <br />minimize electrocution hazards to raptors. The design and specifications of the power transmission <br />facilities will follow the appropriate standards in affect under "Environmental Criteria for Electric <br />Transmission Systems" (USDI, USDA 1970) and the Rural Electrification Administrations Bulletin <br />61-10, "Powerline Contacts by Eagles and other Large Birds". <br />Pest Control. There is an abundance of Prairie Dog colonies in the Nucla-Naturia and New <br />Horizon Mine area. These colonies have been in existence for decades and have been a nuisance <br />to local farms and ranches since settlement of the area. Prairie Dog colonies exist profusely in <br />undeveloped fields and they continue to expand to other areas, especially developed pastureland <br />and hayland fields where feed is abundant. To eliminate the Prairie Dog invasion into reclaimed <br />fields and the degradation of such fields, W FG will utilize pest control measures approved by the <br />local Division of Wildlife Office. Some of the control measures used by local farmers are pesticide <br />food pellets, propane bombs, flooding of the hole, or high speed lead projectiles. <br />A stream buffer zone, 100 feet wide, will be established along Calamity Draw as required in <br />4.05.18(3). As contained in Attachment 2.05.6(3)(b)(v) (formerly Peabody Tab 16 "Protection of <br />the Hydrologic Balance") Pages 16-7 through 16-9, Peabody requested a variance in orderto allow <br />• for associated disturbance within a portion of the stream buffer zone. This relatively minor <br />(Revised March 2006) 2.05.6(2)-6 <br />