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12/12/94 16:30 •$303 291 7374 WILDLIFE-CENTRAL STATE OF COLORADO Roy Romer, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF WILDLIFE AN EWAL OPPOFfNNfrV EMRAYEN Perry D. Olson, Diredor 60s0 Broadway Denver, Cotaarb 8021 s Telephone: (3031 297-1192 December 12, 1994 Carl Mount Division of Minerals & Geology 1313 Sherman St. Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 RE: Cooley Gravel Company -Dahlia North Resources Pit -File ArM-94-093 Deaz Carl: 002/004 For Wildlife- For People District Wildlife Manager Larry Gazcia and myself have visited this project location, and we commented in detail on this proposal eazlier, as included with the application. These comments will follow the format of those in our earlier letter to the applicant. Buffer Along the South Platte River -Because most of the property proposed for mining is disturbed cropland already, mining the central portion of the site will not have much effect on wildlife. However, the South Platte River corridor is very important to a variety of wildlife and the large atea of riparian vegetation at the northwest corner of the. property is a key area for streamside habitat protection, Out original recommendation was that mining disturbance be kept back 400' from the river in this azea, even though the stand of trees extends out to about 600'. An alternative suggestion was to allow mining disturbance up to 250' from the stream bank with extensive mitigation measums (togsoiling and planCngs) as described in our original letter. The current mining plan proposes to mine up to within 150' of the rivers edge, and in a n, a large berm would be built on the stream bank which would remove even more streamside vegetation. This plan as proposed would almost completely destroy this lazge island of riparian habitat with only minima! tree and shrub planting proposed as mitigation. We strongly support our earlier suggestions for reducing impacu to this corner of the property and would be willing. to discuss them in more detail with your staff and the applicant. Along the west edge of the property, we fcel that the applicant's plan is reasonable. The construction of a larger berm than currently exists here will destroy a good number of cottonwood trees which aze growing on the current berm. We feel that these should be replaced through replanting on the new berm or nearby. • DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, James S. Lochhead, Executive Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Thomas M. Eve, Chalnnan • Louls F. Swltt, ViceChelrman • Amdtl Salazar, Secretary Jesse Langston Boyd, Jr., Member • Rebecca L. Fronk, Member William R. Hogberg, Member • Mark LeVaffey, Member