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<br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />Aoy Romer, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />PN EGUPL GPPOpTUNiTY EMPLOYER <br />John VJ. PAumma, Director <br />fi060 9roaovay <br />Denver, Colorado 80216 <br />Telephone. (~0~1 297-t 192 <br />Mr. Carl B. Mount <br />Senior Environmental Specialist <br />Division of Minerals and Geology <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />r' <br />~,f- rh.er~_. <br />DEC z `~ 1998 <br />RE: ACA Products, Pine Ridge Pit, Filgtf~f0.' NI-98-104 (112 Permit) <br />Dear Mr. Mount: <br />''. <br />T <br />~_ ®o <br />(~eerYE A ~slvv <br />12'29-:180YOUI1 wILOLIFF <br />I have read "Exhibit H-Wildlife Information" of the Pine Ridge Pit application and briefly <br />reviewed the remainder of the application. I must comment that a lot has changed <br />since the original application of 17 years ago. Of primary concern is the use of the pit <br />area and surrounding lands by elk. There were few etk utilizing the area 17 years ago. <br />The somewhat limited use of the pit (and Lake County's adjacent pit) since then has <br />not prohibited elk from choosing to make that area significantly important. <br />The pits are within a migratory corridor and spring and fall transitional range. The area <br />around the pits serves to relieve grazing pressure from limited winter range to the <br />south. If memory serves me well, most use of the pit(s) has been during summer <br />months. 1f the use of the pit(s) continues as in the past (June-September) and is <br />avoided the rest of the year, the elk should not, as in the past, be significantly <br />impacted. However, if use of the pit for projects is expanded to fall, late winter or <br />spring months, conflicts with elk use of the pit and adjacent properties will occur. Pit <br />work starting in early morning or perhaps continuing to late evening during those <br />months will shortening daily feeding periods or in the most extreme case, cause elk to <br />abandon established use of the area. <br />The comments of 17 years ago about the "green desert" apply the the timbered portion <br />of the project area. The time periods mentioned for avoiding work should now be <br />disregarded. The periods mentioned in the above paragraph are now more <br />applicable. <br />Thank you for the opportunity to comment. <br />Sincerely, _ - ~ <br />~/ <br />Tom Martin, District Wildlife Manaq~er-Leadville <br />c:Spezz,~ ~,,`„~ARTMENr OF IVATURA RESOURCES, James S. Lochhead, E:ecutiva Director <br />tl 1MISSION, Arnold Salazar, Chair • Rehecca L. Frank, Vice Chair • Mark LeValley. Secretary <br />Louis F Swift, Member • Bernard L. Black, Member <br />Chuck Lewls, Memher • John Stulp, Memher • James R. Long, Member <br /> <br />