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<br />Bill Owens, Governor /10 , , 1
<br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ,(~ !/~/
<br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
<br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
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<br />STATE OF COLORADO
<br />Bruce McCloskey, Director
<br />6060 Broadway
<br />Denver, Colorado 80216
<br />Telephone: (303)297-1192
<br />March 25, 2006
<br />Mr. Anthony J. Waldron
<br />Environmental Protection Specialist
<br />Division of Minerals and Geology _ _ _
<br />Department of Natural Resources
<br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215
<br />Denver, Colorado 80203
<br />Dear Mr. Waldron,
<br />RGC'x lu~p
<br />~ APR 0 3 2006
<br />Drvlslon of Mmer;is and Geology
<br />For Wildlife-
<br />For PeopAe
<br />On March 18, 2006, District Wildlife Manager Jonathan Reitz visited the Carrizo Stone South mining site (File No. M-
<br />2005-067). The site is located at Section 9, Township 335, Range SOW, 6'" Prime Meridian,.in Baca County. Carrizo
<br />Stone South is a sandstone surface mine. The site is approximately 9.9 acres in size. Carrizo Stone began mining
<br />approximately 1 year before applying for a mining permit. As a result, the pre-mining characteristics of the surface
<br />acres are not fully known.
<br />Camzo Stone South is on aneast-facing hillside just above East Carrizo Creek. The site is a historical quarry. It had
<br />been mined on a limited basis during the early 1900's. The most visible indication of that mining activity is a small (~
<br />6 ft.) east facing rock bluff.
<br />Prior to mining activity in 2004, it is likely that the site's plant cover was similar to that of the surrounding hillside.
<br />The hillside's three predominate plant species are buffalo-grass (Buchloe dactyloufes), tree cholla (Opuntia imbricates),
<br />and Skunkbmsh (Rhus trilobata). There are some pinyons and junipers around the site. According to Ray Sikes
<br />(owner of Carrizo Stone, LLC), there were no trees on the site prior to the establishment of the mine.
<br />The mine is located in a very wildlife diverse area. The following is a list of some of the species that were likely to
<br />have been found on the site prior to Carrizo Stone's mining activity: Mule Deer, White Tailed Deer, Swift Fox,
<br />Coyote, Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Black Beaz, Black-tailed Prairie Doe, Mountain Cottontail, Jack Rabbit, Scaled
<br />Quail, Merriam's Turkey, Greater Roadrunner, Northern Harrier, Red-Tailed Hawk, Ferrueinous Hawk, American
<br />Kestrel, Mountain Blue-bird, Plateau Lizazd, Great Plains Skink, Western Rattlesnake, Night Snake, Texas Blind
<br />Snake, and Texas Horned Lizard (this list is not exhaustive). There are several species of concern that were/are
<br />likely to be found at the site (underlined in above list). It is unlikely that any threatened or endangered species
<br />were/are on the site.
<br />The shrub community (cholla and skunkbrush) was the site's most important vegetative community. The shrubs
<br />provided.beneficial cover and food for nearly all of the birds, mammals, and reptiles that occupied the site. Skunkbmsh
<br />is heavily utilized by deer, turkey, and quail as both a source of food.and cover. Cholla cactus is an especially
<br />important cover type to scaled quail.
<br />DL=PARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Russell George, Executive Director
<br />W ILDLIFE COMMISSION, Jeffrey Crawford, Chair • Tom Burke,Yrz Chair • Claire O'Neal, Secretary
<br />Members, Robert Bray • Rick Enstrom • Philip James • Richarc) Ray .Robert Shoemaker. Ken Torres
<br />Ex Offices Members, Russell George and Don Ament
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