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.__~ <br />IN REPLY REFER TO <br />ES/CO:OSM <br />MS 65412 GJ <br />III IIIIII1111111lII <br />United States Department of the Interior <br />FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE <br />Ecological Services <br />Western Colorado Office <br />764 Horizon Drive, So u[h Ann« A <br />Grand Junction, Colorado 81506-3946 <br />RECEIVED <br />September 27, 1994 <br />Barbara L. Pavlik <br />Environmental Protection <br />Division of Minerals and <br />1313 Sherman Street <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Dear Ms. Pavlik: <br />Specialist <br />Geology <br />SEP 301 <br />Division of hiinerais & Geology <br />This responds to your September 7, 1994, letter regarding the proposal to <br />renew the Eastside Mine Permit. The Eastside Mine is an operating underground <br />coal mine, and is located about 4 miles north of Silt, in Garfield County, <br />Colorado. The renewal procedure ensures compliance with regulatory <br />requirements, and does not authorize any new facilities or expansion of <br />existing operations. <br />In 1984, the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology concluded "no effect" <br />to federally listed species based on a review by the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife. Since that time, additional species have been federally listed, and <br />new mechanisms have been adopted to address impacts to federally listed <br />species. Consequently, there is a need for the Colorado Division of Minerals <br />and Geology and the Office of Surface Mining to reevaluate the potential <br />impacts of the Eastside Mine to federally listed species. We are providing <br />the following list of federally listed species that may occur in the project <br />area. <br />Federally Listed Species <br />Colorado squawfish Ptychocheilus Lucius <br />Razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus <br />Bonytail Gila elegans <br />Humpback chub Gila cypha <br />Southwestern willow flycatcher* Empidomax traillii extimus <br />•P roposed 7/23/94 <br />None of the above federally listed fish species occur within the project area. <br />However, the Fish and Wildlife Service believes that major causes for the <br />decline of the Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, bonytail, and razorback <br />sucker, include the effect of impoundments and associated water depletion from <br />the Colorado River and its tributaries. Consequently, the water use for all <br />activities associated with the project should be identified, and evaluated to <br />determine whether such a depletion will occur. Any individual or combination <br />of water uses associated with the proposal causing a net depletion of water <br />