Laserfiche WebLink
• during the nesting season in 1978 to determine the affect, if any, of blasting operations upon <br />the nesting falcons. <br />The actively reproducing female peregrine falcon did not return to the nesting site with the <br />male during the 1979 breeding season. However, an immature female emerged as a <br />potential mate for the male falcon. As an immature bird, the female was not reproductively <br />active last year. The Division of Wildlife will continue monitoring the nest site during the <br />1980 Breeding season. The purposes of which will be to determine if both the male and <br />immature female falcon return to the site and if they will breed successfully. If they do not, <br />eggs from captive peregrine falcons in Fort Collins will be introduced into the nest. The <br />mining operations and current blasting conducted at the mine has not caused the Peregrine <br />falcons to abandon the area; however, recent studies have not been conclusive due to the <br />loss of the mature female peregrine falcon. <br />The Chimney Rock Mine will continue to work closely with the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife in order to insure that detrimental impacts upon the peregrine falcons, as well as <br />other fish and wildlife species, do not occur as a result of mining activities. <br />2.04.12 Prime Farmland Investi ag lion <br />The requirements of this part describe the criteria by which the applicant determines if any <br />land within the proposed permit area shall be considered prime farmland. <br />• The Chimney Rock Mine conducted such an investigation, the results of which indicated the <br />following: <br />(1) The lands upon which coal removal operations will occur are considered <br />rangeland. Those lands have not been historically utilized as cropland. <br />(2) Examination of USGS maps, aerial photography and their mapping <br />counterparts (Chimney Rock Mine 1" = 100' base map), and on-site <br />conditions indicate the slope exceeds 10 percent on the lands where coal <br />removal operations will occur. <br />(3) The lands upon which coal removal operations will occur are not irrigated or <br />naturally subirrigated, nor is there a water supply of dependable or adequate <br />quality. <br />(4) On-site investigations indicate the surface of the land is very rocky where coal <br />removal operations will occur. <br />(5) Lands within the permit area have not been designated prime farmland by the <br />U. S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. A copy of a letter <br />from Dan Lynn with the U. S. Soil coacervation Service in Pagosa Springs, <br />Colorado documenting such is presented in Exhibit 19, Prime Farmland <br />Investigation,, <br />• 2.04-36 <br />