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4 4 • • 7 SIERRA CLUB Pikes Peak Group of the Rocky Mountain Chapter April 25, 2001 Pikes Peak Group of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Sierra Cluh 522 N. Royer St. Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Reply to: James E. Lockhart 1718 Lorraine St. Apt. B4 Colorado Springs, CO 80906 (719) 385-0045 Terry Ireland United States Fish and Wildlife Service Western Colorado Office 764 Horizon Drive, South Annex A Grand Junction, CO 81506 Dear Mr. Ireland: I am writing with regard to our telephone discussion of last week concerning the Red Canyon quarry permit application, M-1985-043. During our conversation, you stated that the only documents which resulted from your meeting with the Red Canyon quarry representatives concerning the Take Avoidance Areas were the May 18th letter from them confirming their understanding of the discussions and your June 28th followup letter, and that you have no other documents and essentially no other description of their plans to operate within the Take Avoidance Arca. Should I be wrong in this, I would ask that you send me any additional information and also see that it is made a part of the hearing record in the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology proceeding. You further informed me that the only reference you can recall to plans to provide for wildlife was a statement by a quarry representative that they planned to make "cuts" in the benches that would be created as part of the rehabilitation plan in order to permit wildlife to have access to the area. Again, if I am incorrect, and the quarry representatives have provided you with any additional information regarding their plans to rehabilitate the area for the Mexican spotted owl or other wildlife, I would like to receive a copy of this information, and also ask that you make it part of the hearing record. I have spoken with James Dillie at the Division of Minerals and Geology, and he informs me that there is no Exhibit H Wildlife Information submission with the current application; nor was such an Exhibit provided with the 1997 Red Canyon permit amendment application. This is because the Colorado Division of Wildlife was consulted and commented on the application, and thereby made recommendations which serve in lieu of a Wildlife Information submission. The Division of Wildlife comments essentially state that it is unclear what conversations occurred between USFWS and the quarry operators, and that "appropriate" sight and sound abatement measures should be adopted, and recommend consultation with USFWS, but they do not in themselves provide the information from which a plan could be devised. I am advising you of this because, frankly, I was unaware of this aspect of Minerals and Geology procedure when I submitted the Sierra Club's objection comments,