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• • SRK Consulting <br />undisturbed. No mining is proposed in the azea of a significant stand of cottonwood trees <br />in the western portion of the Longmont property. Dead trees in [he Distel expansion area <br />will be removed during mining and replaced during reclamation, as noted in Section 6.0 <br />(Ex}libit E -Reclamation Plan) of the amendment application. The proposed setbacks <br />will enable preservation of tree and shrub covered areas adjacent to St. Vrain Creek. <br />Existing operations provide evidence that a 100-foot setback from the river does not <br />obstruct the movement of free-ranging wildlife during mining operations. Furthermore, <br />restriction to this 100-foot corridor will be for a relatively short period of time. The final <br />reclaunation proposed throughout the entire project will create a diverse, open-space <br />corridor of upland meadows, wetlands and ponds ranging from 500 to 2,500 feet from the <br />river, as shown in Amendment Exhibit F (Reclamation Plan Map). The diversity of the <br />proposed landscape will create habitat for a wide range of wildlife and enhance the <br />exis~:ing movement corridor for free-ranging wildlife. <br />Prairie dogs towns within proposed mining areas will be removed prior to excavation in <br />accordance with Division of Wildlife recommendations. Excavation of prairie dog sites <br />will be completed between November 1 and February 28, at a time outside the nesting <br />season for the Burrowing Owl. Proposed post-mining upland meadow areas will provide <br />suitable habitat for prairie dogs to re-establish themselves. Experience within the <br />existing operations at this site have shown that the prairie dogs quickly re-establish <br />themselves around mined areas. <br />The post-mining land use for [his project includes wildlife habitat. Proposed seed <br />mixtures, tree and shrub plantings for both upland and wetland aeeas have been selected <br />to promote development of wildlife habitat within the property and to provide additional <br />species diversity. The following reclamation information is contained in Section 6.0 <br />(Exhibit E -Reclamation Plan) of the amendment application: <br />Reclamation of the combined Longmont, Distel and Bigelow properties will <br />include two ponds, each approximately 15 acres, and three wetland areas, <br />totaling approximately 20 acres. The remaining approximate 216 acres of <br />disturbance on these properties will be reclaimed as upland meadows. The <br />Distel property expansion area will be re-graded and replanted with trees. <br />Reclamation of the Peschel property will include two ponds totaling 30 to <br />45 acres and wetland areas totaling approximately 14 acres. The <br />constructed ponds, as proposed, will have irregular shorelines with slopes no <br />greater than 3:1. <br />As indicated in Mr. Sherman's letter (December 14, 2000), the ponds and wetlands <br />proposed in the reclamation plan will provide new habitat for a variety of wildlife and <br />estat~lish long-term benefits to wildlife. <br />In response to the Division of Wildlife concerns regarding wetlands issues, the applicant <br />will continue to address wetlands issues in accordance with U.S. Corps of Engineers <br />requirements. <br />N:\G ICi iel I\Proj ect\54202\DMG RespDow.doc <br />