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STATE OF COLORADO <br />BIII Ritter, Jr., Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />Bruce McCloskey, Director <br />6060 Broadway <br />Denver, Colorado 80216 <br />Telephone: (303)297-7192 <br />wildlife.ste~e.ce.us <br />May 25, 2007 <br />Jerry M. Nettleton <br />Environmental Manager <br />Twentymile Coal Company <br />29515 Routt County Road RCR27 <br />Oak Creek, CO 80467 <br />RE: Big Elk Exploration Project-Request for Wildlife Impact Statement <br />Dear Jerry, <br />GO~~O <br />®vO~ <br />O,t. OF `~ <br />For Wrldlije- <br />For Peopk <br />The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) appreciates the opportunity to review the proposed Big Elk <br />Exploration Project drill sites with respect to wildlife impacts. The azea southwest of Hayden contains some of the <br />best Columbian sharp-tailed grouse habitat in Colorado. This area also provides habitat for a small greater sage- <br />grouse population. Both of these grouse species are considered species of special concern in Colorado. Local <br />CDOW personnel have reviewed the proposed drill locations with respect to both Columbian sharp-tailed grouse <br />and greater sage-grouse habitat. The CDOW has also reviewed the proposed drill sites for impacts to any <br />threatened or endangered wildlife species. <br />Based on your written request as well as verbal communications, our understanding is that the proposed drill pads <br />will be approximately 100 X ]00 feet and that equipment will be at each site for approximately one week. We also <br />understand that best management practices will be applied at each drill site and sites will be reclaimed immediately <br />on completion of the drilling and related activities. <br />CDOW personnel received the UTM locations for the proposed drill sites at Cow Camp, Wolf Creek, and Big Elk <br />highwall provided by Twentymile Coal. We have overlaid the proposed drill sites with Columbian sharp-tailed <br />grouse and greater sage-grouse habitat. We have attached maps for your reference. Many of the proposed drill <br />sites are within critical grouse breeding habitat, which includes lek locations and nesting habitat. Historically, the <br />CDOW has recommended no surface occupancy within ~/. mile of grouse lek locations. However, the Statewide <br />Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan that is in draft form recommends no surface occupancy within 0.6 miles of <br />a sage-grouse lek. Wolf Creek point WCK002 and Cow Camp point cow011 are within'/. of active Columbian <br />sharp-tailed grouse leks. We recommend moving these drill sites to suitable locations farther from the active lek <br />sites. The majority of greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse nests are located within 4 miles and <br />1.2 miles respectively of lek sites. Both species may abandon their nests with disturbance. Neazly all of the <br />proposed Cow Camp and Wolf Creek drill sites area within sharp-tailed grouse nesting habitat and many of the <br />Cow Camp sites are within greater sage-grouse nesting habitat. Therefore we recommend timing the drilling <br />activity such that it is outside of nesting season, which takes place during May and June. Therefore we recommend <br />drilling at Cow Camp and Wolf Creek after July 1. We understand that you would like to drill during the spring of <br />2008. The Big Elk highwall sites are not in grouse breeding habitat so we recommend drilling these wells during <br />May and June 2008. <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Hanis D. Sherman, Executive Direcor <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Tom Burke, Chair. Clain: O'Neal, Vice Chair • Robert Bray, Secretary <br />Members, Dennis Buechler • Brad Coors • Jeffrey Crawford • Tim Glenn • Roy McAnaly • Rid7ard Ray <br />Ex Olfrcyo Members, Hartis Sherman and John Stulp <br />