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<br />~, <br />,~ <br />• <br />• III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII <br />999 <br />United States Department of the Interior <br />FISH AND WII,DLQ~'E SERVICE <br />Ecological Services <br />Wegem Colorado Olfice <br />764 Horizon Drive, South Annex A <br />Grand Junetion, CO 81506-7946 _ <br />IN REPLY REFER TO: <br />ES/CO:CDMG/OSM-Bear Coal Co. <br />MS 654]2 GJ <br />January 31, 1994 <br />Steve S. Shuey <br />Environmental Protection Specialist <br />Division of Minerals and Geology <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Dear Mr. Shuey, <br />This responds to your December 3, 1993 letter regarding the application by <br />Bear Coal Company, Inc. to revise its permit to conduct coal mining <br />operations at Somerset, Colorado. <br />You have described the proposal as a revision to the mine plan to add 205 <br />acres to Bear Coal Companies' existing underground mine. No new surface <br />disturbance will be required. All the coal is classified as Federal <br />minerals and most of the surface is privately owned. Due to the absence of <br />any new surface disturbance, we anticipate that impacts from this revision <br />will only result if water is depleted from the Upper Colorado River Basin. <br />We are therefore providing the following comments regarding consultation <br />procedures, federally listed fish species, and proposed critical habitat. <br />These comments were prepared following a January 25, 1994 interagency <br />meeting regarding consultation procedures for coal mining activities in <br />Colorado. Pending resolution of several outstanding issues, the Service <br />has decided that the Division of Minerals and Geology should act as a <br />consultant far the Office of Surface Mining. However, any formal <br />consultation must be initiated by the Office of Surface Mining, and will <br />only be conducted between the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Office of <br />Surface Mining. Consequently, your evaluation of potential impacts from <br />the proposed revision should be forwarded to the Office of Surface Mining <br />for their review and disposition. <br />Federally Listed Species <br />Colorado squawfish <br />Humpback chub <br />Bonytail chub <br />Razorback sucker <br />Ptvchocheilus Lucius <br />Gila c ha <br />Gila ele ans <br />Xvrauchen texanus <br />