Laserfiche WebLink
" STATE OF COLORADO ~• • <br />' plc~~rd D. Lamm. Governor <br />:. DEPARTA,IENi OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />~_ DIVISIO;d OF ~lVILL~LIF~ <br />-= 'Jack R. Grieb, Director <br />r 6060 Broadwey <br />_._i jDenver, Colorado 80216 (825-1192) <br />-- July 1, 1980 <br />-' Pir. Marvin Pearson <br />District 2lanager-Craig District <br />" ''~'~ U.S. Bureau of Land Management <br />-. - Craig, CO 81625 <br />Dear 2?arv: <br />_1~~~~~t <br />s ~~~ <br />t:5~~o E ~~°;P <br />y0F`t' <br />It has been brought to our attention that Energy Fuels Corporation <br />has discovered and wishes to mine a coal de_oosit under the wildlife <br />buffer zone on its Eckman Park coal lease. As you may recall, the <br />buffer zone was established to protect and preserve an elk calving <br />aria. <br />Observations this past spring have determined that there is•more <br />e::r.ersive elk calving habitat than was first thought. It is not <br />known ~rhether or not the elk presently utilizing the buffer zone <br />will successfully move to the adjacent habitat, if the buffer zone <br />is mined. Our field biologists feel that there will be impacts to <br />elk and other wildlife species both from the existing lease and <br />mining of the buffer zone, however these impacts can be substantially <br />mitigated znd the situation provides an excellent opportunity to <br />study the specific effects of coal mining oa e1'r. behavior. <br />We have discussed the situation with Energy Fuels and they have <br />agreed in principle to pursue a mitigation program. Specifically we <br />recommend that the lease be amended to include coal under the iildlife <br />buffer zone with the following stipulations: <br />L r1n elk tagging pro3ram should be dune Eor three years, caith <br />monitoring to continue far cwo additional years, :when minim of <br />the wildlife buffer zone is com~~enced. This program should be <br />designed to monitor elk calving behavior in the subject area. <br />Elk should be fitted with colored and numbered neckhards and ear <br />tads to identify individual animals. Plumbers of animals to be <br />marked are as follocJS: <br />First veer: i•?iddle Creek - 50 <br />Foidal Creek - 30 <br />Second year: :?fiddle Creek - ~0 <br />Foidel Crcek - ?0 <br />bird _~;ear: :(idd'_e Creak - 30 <br />Foll:21 Creek - 20 <br />