2008-06-09_PERMIT FILE - C1980007 (6)

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Response to Comments • • Table 5-1 DEIS Comments and Responses Commenter Comment Comment/Response made that any water depletions might have an adverse effect on the endangered fishes, the appropriate determination in regard to the Colorado River endangered fishes is "may affect, likely to adversely affect," RESPONSE: The FEIS and Biological Assessment has revised the conclusion to "may affect, likely to adversely affect" the Colorado River endangered fish species, and references the GMUGs Apri12007 Prograrmnatic BO for Water Depletions (Chapter 3 Wildlife Section and USFWS BO# ES/GJ-6-CO-99 F 033CP062 TAILS 65413-2007-F-0119). United States 11 On page 59 of the DEIS, you have described the presence of riparian areas Department of the and wetlands within the project area. However, the DEIS did not state Interior, Office of whether any wetlands would be affected by the activities associated with the Secretary alternative 2. Please describe the effects to wetlands, or state that the proposed action will avoid any impacts to this resource. RESPONSE: Effects to riparian areas and wetlands is addressed in the FEIS at (Chapter 3, Riparian Vegetation). United States 12 On page 66 of the DEIS, you state that "while design criteria state riparian Department of the vegetation would be avoided wherever possible, the potential exists for some Interior, Office of road building effects on riparian vegetation". You have described the potential the Secretary impact to riparian ecosystems, but have not described the extent of the impact and did not describe where these impacts would occur. The DEIS implies that these effects will occur despite the design criteria. The FEIS should describe how and where avoidance would occur. RESPONSE: The project is designed using the concept of drilling windows and road location corridors to allow for flexibility in field fitting facilities. At project implementation, Design Criteria to avoid riparian disturbance will be followed (Table 2-1) to the maximum extent possible. Table 3-9 shows the riparian vegetation affect by roads and MDW. United States 13 The cumulative effects of human activity and road development on wildlife Department of the within the project area under alternative 2 are described on page 91. The Interior, Office of statement is made, "The result would be higher concentrations of wildlife in the Secretary adjacent areas where there is limited activity". In some cases, the wildlife discussed in this section are territorial animals which defend an established territory, which conflicts with the DEIS statement. Please provide the appropriate scientific literature to support the statement in the FEIS. RESPONSE: FEIS has been updated to clarify this conclusion. See FEIS Chapter 3 Wildlife Section. Delta County 1 DEIS states that daily project traffic will access the proposed site via the Board of County Sylvester Gulch Road and that oversized vehicles such as the drill rig and Commissioners semi trucks would access from the west via Minnesota Creek Road in Delta (Amended County. Several years ago, an unfortunate set of circumstances resulted in comment letter): extensive damage to a newly paved portion of Minnesota Creek road from heavy and high volume truck traffic serving mine operations. The Board would request that high volume, heavy truck traffic, e.g. gravel trucks, be required to access the site via Sylvester Gulch Road for the proposed project. Deer Creek Ventilation Shaft and E Seain Methane Drainage Wells FEIS 169