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DEC-I4 d0 08:11 FROM:CD~W <br />• III <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />BIII gwsna, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATUWL RESOURCES <br />DIVISIGN OF WILDLIFE <br />AN EQUAL OPP00.TL~Nrf`r GMPLOVEp <br />Russell Goorge, Duector <br />8090 Broadway <br />Denver, Cobretlo 80218 <br />Telephone: (3031297.1192 <br />December l4, :>000 <br />Carl Mount <br />Division of Minerals & Geology <br />1313 Sherman Street Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />iU:fl ~rPc8106 <br />Re: CAMAS ('olorado, Inc., Distal Farm Resotuce, Pertrtit No. M-1989-029 <br />Dear Mr. Mou:rt: <br />PAGE:02 <br />LO~~O <br />~~ ~~ <br />'Y OF <br />ForWildlije- <br />Fur People <br />The following constitute the comments of the Colorado Division of Wi]dlife. Mike Sherrnart (Field <br />Habitat Biologist) and Mike Babler (District Wildlife Manager) have both reviewed this Reclamation <br />Pertrut AppGca.tion Consideration and made a field visit to the proposed mine expansion si[e on <br />November 21, 2000. <br />We arc aeriou~ concerned that the proposed minine plan on the Longmont Property hss a hieh <br />potential to net;stively impact wildlife and hieh duality wildlife habitat. Note that this oroner[v is <br />the U.S. Fish .Bt Wildlife Service for further consultation about this concern. <br />The Division Dt Wildlife has bees conducting Bald Eagle winter roost counts at this site <br />continuously ,since the 1997-1998 winter and will continue to do eo again this winter. Data show <br />that up to 47 individual Bsld Eagles in one night have used the mature cottonwood trees along the <br />St. Vraia Creek and Boulder Creek as a winter roost site. We stronely recommend a buffer of no ~!/ _ <br />Icss than 0.25 miles around this roost site and a buffer of 0.50 miles would be moat ideal to assurc_ <br />protection from disturbance of this site. We further recommend that minine operations be a <br />allowed to proceed on the Lnnomnnt Prnnerrv nnly hetween March 15 end Nnvemher 15 ae Rald <br />Eseles are known to use the adioinine site ea a winter roost outside of these dates. <br />It should be noted that dttrittg out field visit we observed a Great Blue Heron herottry containing 6+ <br />platform nests located in a mature cottonwood tree(s) along Boulder Creek. This tree is located south of <br />the confluence with the St. Vraia Creek and approximately 600-800 feet from the easttm edge of the <br />proposed expansion area on the Longmont Pruperty. The Division of Wildlife has historical data on the <br />Great Blue Heron herortry (40+ platform nests) located along the St. Vraia Creek north of Highway 1 l9. <br />We are unclear if the proposed "minimum 100 foot setback from creek" oCthe nunirtg operation from the <br />St. Vraia Creel: on the Longmont Property (Reclamation Plan, Exhibit F.1) is measured from the middle <br />303-~°_c;-97ac <br />IIIIIIIIIIIII III <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. Greg E. Waleher, EYewtire DvecYtr <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION. Bernard ! . Stack. Jr, Chakman R~w Er:,trum. Vloe-Chaeman • Phip James. Secretary <br />M[:mbwrs. Tom Burke • Mark LeVeaav Marianna Rafloooubs • Robert Shoemaker • Ohre VeHez <br />