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<br />United States Department of the interior <br />FISX AND WILDLIFL 6P.RVIC2 <br />NI¢.I YMen <br />1aa 11`I~GY1.L/•A~A ~]~-.i.'-i pi li'17 <br />bow aiNS.<~Y>b a15a1~]aM <br />`'D <br />I.r'tVty uelm ro' I!EL'.t tii4C pD 011 <br />ES/CO:B[X BI6gl <br />YS 65412 G! <br />February Z5. 1999 <br />Larry Shults. Natural Resource Spenalist <br />BYrldp Of Land XinagMlnt <br />whit! fltvtr RlSOprCe kea <br />71544 H19DwaY 64 <br />Celklr. Colorado 81611 <br />Dear Mr. 5nults'. <br />The Ftsh antl Nildl7fe Serv'ce has revleretl ire Graft Envlroranen[al Inpet[ <br />St etemen[ vor tnP Yd nkee lti lch Sodium Mtnera l5 DroJe[t propo5ld by Mlrlpen <br />$otle. L.L.D. The 5arvic! has concerns about potent! al inpacis to trout <br />resources suer as mf gretory birds. weUends. dn0 threatened end enpanpere0 <br />species frm the Drooose0 project. <br />The proposal as gut! load wnu:d create five ponds din a total surface area of <br />49 acres Tvq of these ponds at the Parachute creek s1[e would ccrrtetn fresh <br />we ter and. therefore. would not De of caeern for mlprattrg btrds. Fbwever, <br />[te other three ponds. tncllsdl nq Che Pond ac the Piceence site, ere all <br />expecttd [a have total dissolved solid concm[ratl ohs above 70.000 parts per <br />million, with som` ponds IDDroaoninq 300,000 Dpm. Salt tox1oo51f in waterfwl <br />has Deen docunen[ed at sa ttm tY concelttreUals of 17,000 ppm (Wndinps[ad e[ <br />al.. 1907) On pope d~52. the Oreft E15 atcwetely points out the a/hots of <br />hyDersditne water and Its Effect On va[eriowl erd other ws[er deDentlent birds. <br />The Xigratory Bird Treaty Ac[ Much protects Oil nlgratory birds 7s also <br />discussed to this Se[tlcn. me Kt noes opt dhow for any 'incidental tote': <br />In other words. for any Dtrds that fall vtttln to [he ponOS, the president o! <br />an>erican Sode may Do suD]ec[ to a !10.000 tine end D months 7n ]ail. the first <br />[Ime migratory b1b Deaths occur. <br />F.' ~ Basetl on the Dtola9tcel effects :o Dl rds ar10 our wn sn to avoid ramifications <br />of 'takings' to Mericen Soda. we recommend any ponds that to 11 exceed a <br />salfnRy Conoentre tion of l7.DOD ppm within its li le De neLtld when i[ IS <br />cpnstrxte0. Th15 wl7" eliminate any OroDaDlllty of impacts to migratory <br /> <br />birds eM eHmnate [ne need to kloni[or bird use es we71 as saltm [y <br />:oncen[ra Clans within the poops. By not nett! ng the bonds from the be9tnntn9, <br />[hs project will be credt+np an 'attractive nuisance' Dy ilrrt accllratlnq the <br />Dtrds to use tn! ponds eM then latter impecprg them hrsn salinity <br />concenerations Coat nay De leNat By copy o! this letter end docutrentatlDn <br />w1tMn the Ora ft FIS Service law enforcement personnel are keenly aware of <br />[ke potential lnpect this prouect may nave on migratory Dtrds. ti the ponds <br />are not netted. <br />F•~ 2 The Serv[ce recanmeMS that wet lends De evotdad to the extent practical end <br />Chet uMVOi dable irpacts be m'tige[M. to km0. at a 2.] ratm. Neter <br />deDIE[lon elleC[s [o the endangered fishes 1n the Upper Colorado River Basin <br />should De addressed in a Dtologlcal essessllmt. Mlttgatlon neesures proposed <br />In the Dre:[ FIS for other federal ly [nreatened etM endangered species eM <br />State Splci is 0} Concern appear to be edeppdte Dut shoultl also De re tlerate0 <br />Ina Dl of apical esaessmen[ for [he Service's rerlev. Reve9etatlon of the <br />proJx[ area should De contluttetl with native plant species and a~1 arrant <br />pethods of mnne[i va weed eradtcatian Should De repot red. <br />If the Servl ce can De of further assl5tance. please Contact Terry Ireland at <br />Ne letterhead address or 1370) 143-2776. <br />Stncereiy. <br />Ewa,.-.~. rrt~ <br />Susan T, Moyer <br />As Sl scant Calorod0 F1lld Supervisor <br />pc: Fly/ES. Letewotl <br />Fw5/LE. Latewo0 (Attn: Roger Gephertl <br />COOw. Grertl Junc[tor, <br />rImIW rbY Irr:011fM <br />Page 2 <br />F-1 <br />