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CNAPTERFOUR Responses to Public and Ag~i:ncy Commetns Letter and Comment No. Resaonse F-4.8 Text bas been added to page 4-32 indicating that tripling o f the maximum emission rates, as assumed for the Accelerated Development Alternative, would result in significant, adverse impacts to visibility in the PSD Class I Flat Tops Wilderness Area, and other sensitive locations. COLORADO STATE GOVERNMENT AND AGENCIES State of Colorado, Dept. of Transportation S-1 The proponent intends to apply to the Colorado Departme~tt of Transportation (CDOT) for a Utility Permit for the rail spur. Table i-I (modified) was revised to include tbis state permit. State of Colorado, Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife S-2.1 The Wildlife Mitigation Plan has been prepared by American Soda, in consultation with the BLM and CDOW. This plan is prese;rated in Appendix I, and is included as mitigation in the Agency Preferred Alternative. 5-2.2 The comment on direct impacts to habitat is correct. Since; production of deer browse would require 5 to 10 years after initiation of revegetation, up to half of the area in the mining panels would be unable to provide mule deer winter range at any one time. A sentence addressing this has been added to page 2-26 of the Draft EIS and to Drrect Habitat Loss on page 4- 46 of the Draft EIS. At no time during the project would more than two panels be in use. The Reclamation Plan (Appendix H) and the Wildlife Mitigation Plan (Appendix I) prepared by the BLM, CDOW, and American Soda, would mitigate the short- and long-tens effects of the proposed project on mule deer through off-site and deer-oriented reclamation to restore wildlife habitat use. Off-site mitigation is designed to compensate for both dtrect and indirect habitat losses. A plan would be made for each panel that examines total disturbed acreage with off-site mitigation equaling two and one-half times the total disturbed acreage. On-site reclamation would be designed by the BLM, CDOW, and American Soda to restore and enhance the lease's severe winter range function. This would include establishing woody browse species and accelerating the redevelopment: of winter ' thermal and security cover. This plan includes but is not limited to off-site mitigation and habitat enhancement. Both the BLM and the CDOW would regulazly assess the effectiveness of these techniques and make changes accordingly. • 4-18