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STATE OF COLORADO <br />Bill 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) 297-1192 <br />wildlife. state. co. us <br />April 14, 2008 <br />John C. Weinman, CEM <br />57 10`h Street, Suite B <br />P.O. Box 772996 <br />Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 <br />RE: Cow Camp Exploration Project - Request for Wildlife Impact Statement <br />Dear Mr. Weinman, <br />.y <br />sro? OF ?vq <br />For Wildlife- <br />For People <br />The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) appreciates the opportunity to review the proposed Cow Camp <br />Exploration Project drill sites with respect to wildlife impacts. The area southeast 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, although historically the Twentymile Park area was considered to be an important area for <br />greater sage-grouse. 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 100 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 />The CDOW have provided you with the GIS shape files to overlay the proposed drill sites with Columbian sharp- <br />tailed grouse and greater sage-grouse habitat. We received the mapped locations for the proposed drill sites with <br />the suggested buffers of 0.6 and 0.4 mile for greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse respectively. <br />Many of the proposed drill sites are within critical grouse breeding habitat, which includes lek locations and <br />nesting habitat. Historically, the CDOW has recommended no surface occupancy with in'/4 mile of grouse lek <br />locations. However, the Statewide Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan and the draft rules presented by the <br />COGCC and initiated by HB 1298 recommend no surface occupancy within 0.6 miles of sage-grouse leks and 0.4 <br />miles for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse leks. Cow Camp points CCU019 and CCU030 are within 0.6 miles of an <br />active sage-grouse lek. Cow Camp points CCU012, 025, 028, and 033 are within the 0.4 mile of active Columbian <br />sharp-tailed grouse leks. We recommend moving these drill sites to suitable locations farther from the active lek <br />sites if possible. However, because of the short-term impact of the drill holes, it is not necessary to be completely <br />outside of the lek buffer zones. Assuming that the drill hole is not directly on top of the lek and that the disturbed <br />area is adequately reclaimed following disturbance, we do not anticipate any long term negative impacts to the lek. <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Hams D. Sherman, Executive Director <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Tom Burke, Chair • Claire O'Neal, Vice Chair • Robert Bray, Secretary <br />Members, Dennis Buechler • Brad Coors • Jeffrey Crawford • Tim Glenn • Roy McAnally • Richard Ray <br />Ex Officio Members, Hams Sherman and John Stulp