PERMFILE71541

• Permit No: M1993004
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/4/1993
• Doc Name: ROBINSON BRICK CO NAVAJO CLAY PIT FN M-93-004
• From: DOW
• To: MLRD
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

-- -r STATE DF COLORADO ~ III IIIIIIIIIIIII III ~
Roy Romer, Governor 999
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Perry D. Olson, Director
6060 Broadway RECEIVED
Denver, Colorado 80216
Telephone: (303) 297-t 792
MAR 41993
March 3, 1993
Division OI rvuna;als ts<Geology
Carl Mount
Mined Land Reclamation Division
1313 Sherman Street Room 215
Denver, CO 80203
RE: Robinson Brick Company -Navajo Clay Pit - File N M-93-004
Dear Mr. Mount:
REFER TO
For ~ldljJe-
ForPeople
District Wildlife Manager Liza Moore and I visited this proposed mine site yesterday and
evaluated wildlife habitat conditions. The mining area consists of high-quality grassland which
provides habitat fora wide range of wildlife species including antelope, ground-nesting birds,
small mammals, and predators such as hawks, owls, and coyotes. The drainageway on the west
side of the proposed mine had some pockets of standing water and some slight development of
wetland vegetation, but is generally dry with only fair value as wildlife habitat.
I wish to correct the comments made in my earlier letter (Feb. 11, 1992) because we feel that
at the time the incorrect site was examined. The earlier letter mentioned shrubs growing in the
drainageway on site and suggested shrubs be added to the re-seeding mix. Because shrubs do
not after all occur in the drainageway to be affected, we withdraw that earlier recommendation.
Also, we did not note any prairie dogs on the site as was mentioned in the earlier letter. Sorry
for the confusion.
This project will result in the temporary loss of grassland habitat in the area, as weal as disturb
adjacent wildlife through noise and human presence. Because grassland wildlife values are
dispersed evenly over a large area, it is difficult to make any specific suggestions to mitigate the
effects of the impacts. We think that the idea of reclaiming and re-seeding as the project
progresses is excellent and feel that the most important aspect of the reclamation is that grassland
habitat be successfully re-established in the disturbed area. We would perhaps like to see more
species in the seed mix which are already present on the area (only blue grama and western
wheatgrass currently), but are willing to go along with the SCS recommendation. Finally, it is
especially important that care be taken to prevent erosion from the overburden stockpiles or
other mining activity into the creek on the east side of the project.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Kenneth Salazar, Executive Director
WILDLIFE COMMISSION, William R. Hegberg, Member Eldon W. Cooper, Member Felix Chavez, Member Rebecca L. Frank, Member
Louis F. Swift, Secretary George Van Den Berg, Chairman Arnold Salazar, Member Thomas M. Eve, Vice Chairman