Laserfiche WebLink
IN RLPLY REFER TO <br />n ; c <br />United States Department of the Interior ~ <br />FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE r c ~.~ _ ~ •- - •. <br />_.~, ~ ... <br />ENDANGERED SPECIES OFFICE <br />2078 ADMI1'IISTRATTONBLDG. X7_7 ~~i~ 1n ~„ n .. ., <br />1745 WEST 1700 SOUTH •• ~~ ~ 3~ <br />SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH 94104 „, __ , . <br />August 20, 1985 ~•~- ~ -- - <br />SE/SLC: 6-5-85-0023 <br />MEMORANDUM <br />T0: Chief, Engineering Analysis Division, Office of Surface Mining <br />(OSM), Denver, Colorado <br />FROM: Field Supervisor, Endangered Species Office, U.S. Fish and <br />Wildlife Service (FWS), Salt Lake City, Utah <br />SUBJECT: Section 7 Consultation, West Elk Coal Company, Mt. Gunnison Mine <br />This is in response to your July 11, 1985 request for a biological opinion <br />regarding the proposed approval of the West Elk Coal Company's (WECC) <br />modification of its existing underground coal operation near Somerset, <br />Gunnison County, Colorado. We are providing this biological opinion as <br />prescribed by Section 7 of the ESA, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seg., and the <br />~ Interagency Cooperation Regulations, 50 CFR 402. <br />BIOLOGICAL OPINION <br />.y~~~~ <br />The issuance of a permit to allow modification of the WECC Mt. Gunnison Miae, <br />with the inclusion of conservation measures outlined below, is not likely to <br />jeopardize the continued existence of the Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, <br />and bonytail chub. <br />PROJECT DESCRIPTION <br />The OSM proposes to approve a modification of the WECC Mt. Gunnison Mine to <br />allow underground coal mining from an additional 1,950 acres approximately one <br />mile east of Somerset, Colorado. No new surface facilities are proposed. OSM <br />has determined that use of water by the WECC proposal would result in a net <br />water depletion of 11.9 acre-feet per year from the North Fork of the Gunnison <br />River. <br /> <br />