2008-09-22_PERMIT FILE - X200823002 ‎(3)‎

• Permit No: X200823002
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 9/22/2008
• Doc Name: NOI Application
• From: Blue Mountain Energy
• To: DRMS
• Email Name: JDM
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
Bill Ritter, Jr., Governor
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Thomas E. Remington, Director
6060 Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80216
Telephone: [phone]
wildlife. state. co. us
March 20, 2008
Loretta Pineda
Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, CO 80203
[phone]
For ffildlife-
For People
Meeker Service Center
73485 Highway 64
Meeker. CO 81641
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
RE: Blue Mountain Energy, Inc.
Notice of intent to explore, involving removal of 250 tons or less of coal, Rio Blanco County.
Dear Mrs. Pineda:
On behalf of the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW), I would like to thank you for the opportunity to provide
comment on Blue Mountain Energy's (BME) request for coal exploration in Rio Blanco County. I have received a
copy of the proposed coal exploration and reclamation activities, and have reviewed BME's proposal for any
possible impacts to threatened or endangered species. My review has included site visits, review- of CDOW
species distribution and critical habitat information, and consultation with other CDOW wildlife managers in the
area.
The proposed energy exploration and reclamation activities in the northeastern areas of BME's request fall under
the management guidelines provided in, "A Cooperative Plan for Black Footed Ferret Reintroduction and
Management, Wotf Creek and Covote Basin Management Areas, Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado.
Pursuant to this plan, BME's proposed use areas are specifically designated as being outside the Wolf Creek and
Coyote Basin Ferret Management Areas. Furthermore, the proposed activities should create limited additional
disturbance in an area near already existing and operating energy exploration activities. As such, I find there to be
no significant potential for negative impacts on current efforts to restore black-footed ferret populations as a result
of BME's proposed activities. I also do not foresee any negative impacts resulting from the proposed activities on
other threatened or endangered species or their habitats in this area.
While I do not foresee any impacts to threatened or endangered species at the northeastern proposed drill
locations, I do have limited concerns over the potential for greater sage-grouse use near this area. Greater sage-
grouse are identified as a species of concern in Colorado. Proposed drill holes "E5" and `B3" are located about
one mile west of a historic greater sage-grouse lek site (Red Wash Lek, UTM 12 698250 East 4453050 North).
Greater sage-grouse have not been observed at this location since 2003. Due to the lack of occupancy at this lek
site I do not foresee any negative impacts to greater sage-grouse populations. However, if greater sage-grouse are
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Harris D. Sherman, Executive Director
WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Tom Burke, Chair • Claire O'Neal, Vice Chair. Robert Bray, Secretary
Members, Dennis Buechler • Brad Coors • Jeffrey Crawford + Tim Glenn • Roy McAnally • Richard Ray
Ex Officio Members. Harris Sherman and John Stulp