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<br />r STATE OF COLORADO
<br />Bill Ritter, Jr., Governor
<br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
<br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
<br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
<br />Thomas E. Remington, Director
<br />6060 Broadway
<br />Denver, Colorado 80216
<br />Telephone: (303) 297-1192
<br />wildlife. state. co. us
<br />3 April 2008
<br />Department of Natural Resources
<br />Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety
<br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215
<br />Denver, CO 80203
<br />ATTN: Janet Binns: Environmental Protection Specialist
<br />RE: Foidel Creek Mine (Permit No. C-1982-056)
<br />Technical Revision Application No. 66 (TR-66)
<br />18-Left Shaft Installation and'Associate Ancillary Equipment and Facilities
<br />Dear Ms. Binns,
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<br />For Wildlife-
<br />For People
<br />The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) appreciates the opportunity to review the proposed 18-Left shaft
<br />Installation and Ancillary Equipment and Facilities. The area southeast of Hayden supports some of the best
<br />• Columbian sharp-tailed grouse habitat in Colorado. This area also supports a small but critically important
<br />population of Greater sage-grouse. Both Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and Greater sage-grouse are considered
<br />species of special concern in Colorado. Local CDOW personnel have reviewed the proposed 18-Left vent shaft
<br />location with respect to Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and greater sage-grouse habitat. The CDOW also has
<br />reviewed the project for impacts to any threatened or endangered wildlife species.
<br />Based on your written request, our understanding is that the 18-Left Shaft installation will be located just west of
<br />Routt County Road (RCR 27), a light use road will be extended approximately 420 feet from RCR 27. More
<br />specifically located in portions of Sections 7,8,9, T4N R86W; Sections 32 and 33, T6N, R86W; Sections
<br />23,24,25,26,27,34,35 and 36, T5N, R87W and all of T5N, R86W with the exception of Sections 34,35 and 36.
<br />The disturbed area of the 18-Left Ventilation installation will be approximately 5.6 acres to include the light-use
<br />road (approximately 0.3 acres). The installation will include a shaft pad, two cell lined cuttings pits, a transformer
<br />and associated pad, a two celled sedimentation pond and a top soil material stockpile. A 3,000 foot powerline will
<br />also be routed from existing line to facility. Associated facilities and equipment will include mine ventilation fan,
<br />fan shroud, equipment building, and silencer; escape capsule, hoist, hoist building and shaft heater; compressors
<br />and nitrogen generator; transformers, switching equipment and grounding bed.
<br />The 18-Left Ventilation Shaft Site is an upland site that has been characterized as improved pastureland for hay
<br />production and/ or livestock grazing. Historically the site would be considered a sagebrush-steppe or mountain
<br />shrub habitat type.
<br />The 18-Left Ventilation Shaft Site is within both Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (overall, winter range and
<br />production area) and greater sage-grouse habitats (overall and production area). Although there are numerous
<br />historic sage grouse leks in the immediate area, only one lek appears to be active at this time. This lek is located
<br />• approximately 1 mile from the proposed site. The nearest Columbian sharp-tailed grouse leks are approximately
<br />0.8 miles away, Twentymile 1 and 2; with Twentymile 7 just beyond 1.25 miles. Our recommendation is no
<br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Hams D. Sherman, Executive Director
<br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Brad Coors, Chair • Tim Glenn, Vice Chair • Dennis Buechler, Secretary
<br />Members,Jeffrey Crawford • Dorothea Farris • Roy McAnally • John Singletary • Mark Smith • Robert Streeter
<br />Ex Officio Members, Harris Sherman and John Stulp
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