PERMFILE138557

• Permit No: M2001016
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 6/8/2001
• Doc Name: AGGREGATE INDUSTRIES FREDSTROM RESOURCE FN M-2001-016
• From: DOW
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

JUN-12'01 09:24 FRDM:CDDW • IIIIIIIII~IIII~~~
999 ~~
STATE OF COLORADO
em oreee, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
AN EQlL1L OPPORiUN1rY @lPLOVER
RuewY George, Diroclor
6080 Broadway
Denver, Cobrado 80216
Telephone: [phone]
June 8, 2001
Carl Mount
Division of Minerals & Geology
1313 Sherman Street Room 215
Denier, CO 60203
Re: Aggreglate Industries, Ft+edctrom Resource, Ftle No. M-2001-016
Dear Mr. Mount:
TD: [phone] PAGE: 02
Fur 1(rldlifr-
For Peaple
The following cor~titute the cotnments of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Mike Sherman (Field
Habitat Biologist) and Suzanne Kloster (District Wildlife Manager) have reviewed this Reclamation
Perrrrit Application Consideration and made a teld visit to the proposed mine site on May 31, 2000. We
were accompanied on the field visit by Danna Ortiz from Rocly Mountain Consuhanis, Inc.
The proposed mining project will negatively impact a total of 21.59 acres of wetlands along the St. Vrain
River (13.51 acres of jurisdictional wetlands and 8.08 acres of nonyenisdiLKiorutl wetland; personal
communication with Kaia Anderson of Anderson & Company) and we believe [barn is a very high
potential to for this mining proposal to negatively impact wildlife and/or wildlifie habitat. Because this is a
relatively large amount of wetland acres intended for itupaet, we recommend immediate consuhation with
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is my experience with dozens of other mining proposals (across
Weld, l,arirner, and Boulder coumies) that through the Section 404 (of the Clean Water Act) Public
Notice process with tlu; Corps, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Fish dTr Wildlife
Service will have strong objections to this current proposal based primarily on the innended impacts to
wetlands.
We strongly suggest an alternative Application Consideration which greatly minimi~r5 the number
wetlands impacted. We favor an alternative that would completely avoid impacts to the palustrine
emergent wetland complex on the southwestern portion of the site. We highly recommend that if this
project does resuh in the impact and disturbance of arty wetlands (jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional)
that this take place between September IS to April IS to avoid impacting wetland associated birds during
their breeding season.
The riparian corridor abng the St. Vrain River is considered very important wildlife habitat. Low elevation
cottonwood-willow, riparian corridors provide essential habitat for a greater diversity of wildlife than any
other habitat type in Colorado. We are concerned about impacts to all riparian vegetation along the St.
Vrain River as this area is a concentration area for white-tailed deer and within the ovenrll range of mule
deer, mountain lion, and black bear. All of these species use this site as a movement corridor along the
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Grog E. Wakher, ExecuOve Director
WILDLIFE COMMISSION, 8emard L. Black, Jr., Cheimon • Ride EnoGam. Vice.Chairmon • Philp James. Secretary
Memhero. Tom Burble • Mark Lr.Valbv • lilaranna Renoooubs • Rohm Shoemaker • pYrrr Valiez