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J• r ~ • • vegetation and would like to determine what the sage grouse response to vegetation growth will be. Specifically, will there be more winter use of the fertilized areas? Will it create stability during the breeding season? And will it affect the number of chicks surviving? The study will cost $15,000 each year and may extend as long as 7 years. Mr. Braun is completely /) opposed to having mining company personnel do any of the data • gathering, feeling that best results are obtained by one graduate L tudent's sole attention being given to it. There was some disagreement about whether or not this study is a research project or a known mitigation for sage grouse. This led to consideration of what size area would be needed. The _ Division of Wildlife feels strongly that this is a mitigation pro- ! __~cedure and that it is important to fertilize as many acres as will be impacted by the 3 mining operations during the 20 to 40 years of mining. In considering the availability of this much acreage, the question of removing cattle from the study project acreage was raised. Since reclaimed land use for the mine sites will be cattle grazing, positive effects of fertilizing on the usage grouse may not be meaningful unless these effects occur simultaneously with cattle use of the fertilized area. (After the meeting Clait Braun, Len Carpenter, Ernie Gluesing, Carol Pahlke and Margie Winter discussed the idea that removal of cattle may be the only effective mitigation for sage grouse in North Park. This idea was considered a real possibility.) Throughout the discussion Wyoming Fuels stated that they were not interested in participating in this sort of study. Energy Fuels and Flatiron were concerned that the study, if conducted, result in information on which workable procedures can be based, so that it produce operating methods for the companies. Mr. Braun agreed that that should be the goal. Flatiron also expressed concern about the cost of the study: in December the Division of Wildlife had quoted a price of $12,000 per year; at this meeting one month later the price was quoted as $15,000. Energy Fuels was concerned about the magnitude of the acreage to be included and did not feel that total mining permit acreage for 40 years would be unavailable for sage grouse habitat during the current year. If this is the case, the study need not involve fertilization (mitigation, by Division of Wildlife interpretation) of total mining permit acreage. Also, if the project is research rather than mitigation then a smaller acreage might be fertilized to determine results before engaging in a large scale effort. Mr. Braun will design a study and submit it to the mining companies by February 1. The Division of Wildlife is now conducting a one-year study about sage grouse with BLM money near the Kerr mine. It is also raising grouse to see if birds hatched in captivity can be introduced into the wild and if they will choose fertilized rather than non-fertilized areas for residence. Carol, the above summarizes my understanding of the points discussed last Friday. Please let me know within a week if you