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STATE OF COLORADO Bill Owens, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF WILDLIFE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNIT' EMPLOYER John W. Mumma, D'seetor 6060 Broadway Danver, Cobrado 80216 Tebphons: (303) 297-1192 151 East 16°i Street Durango, CO 81301 February 23, 2000 Harry Ranney State of Colorado Department of Natural Resources Division of Minerals end Geology 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver. CO 80203 • III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 999 RECEIVED FEB 2,~ 2000 Division of Minerals 8 Geology RE: IGng Coal Mine (Permit No. C-1961-035); Permit Revision Application No. 7 (PR-7) Dear Mr. Ranney, For Wildlife- For People After reading the revision application and your email attachments pertaining m the mine mentioned above, I would offer the following comments for your wnsideration. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) continues to concur with issues addressed by District Wildlife Manager Art Gresh in a letter dated on 0228/80 and we will continue to do so until the mining operation is finished. The project is located in deer winter range and the animals can be impacted by increased activity in the area during the winter months. However, because the operation and most of the activity will occur underground, the impact to wildlife should be minimal. The CDOW also concurs with the redamation plan in the permit and is encouraged by the applicant's effort to reclaim the area back to its natural state, as agricultural land and wildlife habitat The CDOW would recommend the applicant consider the folowing issues when reGaiming the area: make sure all equipment coming on site for the miring operation and reclamation process are clean and free of no>aous weeds; revegetate the area with native vegetation and make sure the vegetation is fully eshablished to prevent any future erosion problems Lastly, the CDOW would like to suggest a wildlife habitat enhancement opportunity for the applicant to consider during the redamation process. Certain wildlife spades, such as bats, will use mines as cover/shelter once mines are reclaimed and abandoned to human activity. The bats are able to use these areas after mine openings are gated to prevent any human activity or disturbance to the site. The CDOW has worked with other mining operations in the past to gate four other mines in the immediate area of the IGng Coal Mine. Ii the applicant is interested in this opporhrrily for bats, they can oonhact IGrk Navo, the CDOW 's bat spedalist in Monte Ysla, at (719) 587906 for more information. The CDOW appredated the opportunity to comment on this project and looks forward to comments on future projects where there is a concern for impact to wildlife and/or its habitat Sincerely /!~ //Ir!/!i Melody Miller District Wildlife Manager DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Greg Walther, Execute Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Chuck Lewis, Chairman .Mark LeVaby, Kite-Cha'uman .Bernard L. Brack Jr., Secretary Member, Rick Erwtrom . Mariarme Raltopoulos . Amdd Seiemr .Robert Shoemaker . Phip James