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STATE OF COLORADO • <br />Rlehard D. Lamm, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />Jack R. Grieb, Director <br />6060 Broadway <br />Denver, Colorado 80216 (825-1192) <br /> <br />~~~ I~~I~~I~~II~~ I~~ <br />999 <br />C,p~ RA00 <br />r <br />~~ <br />sfON OF'~~O <br />Wildlife Research Center <br />317 West Prospect Street <br />Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 <br />October 19, 1979 <br />Carol Pahlke <br />Reclamation Specialist <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />723 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman St. <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Dear Mrs. Pahlke: <br /> <br />G. -; s. 1979 <br />C~._. ,~~,.. ... <br />I have reviewed the materials that you provided with your letter of 12 October. <br />The wildlife section of the permit application for the Bourg Coal Property is <br />totally inadequate. You recognized this (letter to M. Simmons of 7 September) <br />and hopefully this problem will be remedied. The area provides average to good <br />winter range for pronghorn and mule deer and is used throughout the year by <br />pronghorn. It is used for foraging by raptors, especially Golden Eagles, priarie <br />falcons, Swainson's, Ferruginous, Red-tailed, Marsh and Rough-legged Hawks. It <br />has a good prey base for these raptors with Richardson's ground squirrels, <br />white-tailed jackrabbits and numerous small mammals and birds. The sagebrush <br />vole is an important component of the fauna as are the sage thrasher, sage <br />sparrow and Brewer's sparrow. These 4 species along with the sage grouse, are <br />obligates of the sagebrush type and will disappear from the mine site as mining <br />progresses. They should be fully discussed with possible mitigation practices <br />explored. Maintaining sagebrush habitat on the mine site, fertilizing adjacent <br />areas, creating wet meadow habitats, keeping roads and human disturbance to a <br />minimum on areas adjacent to the mine and proper reclamation are all possible <br />requirements. <br />To simplify this letter, I. am attaching a copy of my memo of 14 August to Pete <br />Barrows for your review. Please look at the 10 constraints (pages 2 and 3) to <br />gain an understanding of what I feel is important. <br />I also believe that Flatiron should clearly identify their procedure for the <br />proposed fertilization of surrounding lands (B.L.M.) and how they intend to <br />fund research studies to evaluate the effects on the sage grouse on Denmark lek. <br />Obviously they have to develop a study to test the effects of fertilizer on <br />sage grouse and other animals. This has got to be initiated prior to actual <br />mining so that impacts of the development can be measured. This study would <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Harris Sherman, Executive Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Michael Higbee, Chairman <br />. Wilbur Redden, Vice Chairman • Sam Caudill, Secretary • Jean K. Tool, Member • Vernon C. Williams, Member <br />James Smith, Member Donald Fernandez, Member Richard Divelbiss, Member <br />