2009-12-30_PERMIT FILE - M2010002

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?i STATE OF COLORADO Bill Ritter, Jr., Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES is DIVISION OF WILDLIFE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Tom Remington, Director 6060 Broadway Denver, Colorado 80216 Telephone: (303) 297-1192 March 10, 2008 Jay L. Wagner Wagner Rock, LLC 96400 E. Hwy.40 Craig, CO 81625 N of For Wildlife- For People RE: Request for Comments - Wagner Rock, LLC - an 8.2 acre site located in the S12, NE/4 of Section 6, TISK R90W. Mr. Wagner: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed gravel pit. The Colorado Division of Wildlife believes that the habitat within the development area has a high wildlife value. Wildlife species in the area include deer, elk, eagles, coyotes, bobcats, and numerous other • species, The gravel pit activity will take place in or adjacent to riparian habitat. Riparian habitats along with water are crucial for most wildlife in the area throughout the year. The majority of animals use this habitat type for some aspect of their life cycle. Riparian areas are the' most fragile to disruption and offer the best habitat to a wide variety of animal species. Bald Eagles frequent the river bottom areas. I have attached a map with an active nest site and roost sites in the area. The south side of the project area falls within '/2 mile of an active bald eagle nest. The CDOW recommends a no activity within '/2 mile of the nest from October 15 through July 31. The proposed site is likely most important for mule deer winter range and elk severe winter range. We would recommend that a seasonal closure on the mining operation during the critical winter/early spring period (January 1 to March 31). This would mitigate some of the stress/disturbance to wintering deer/elk, if possible. Non-native weed species have become established on many disturbed soils throughout the area. The invasion of non-native weeds reduces the density of native vegetation and lessens the habitat values for native wildlife species. Manyfof'these non-native weeds are not used as forage by wildlife. The continual control and removal of non-native weeds on the disturbed/rehabilitated sites will help restore native vegetation that is valuable to wildlife. • The gravel pit lies in an area where native vegetation provides foraging, nesting, and cover habitats for numerous species of wildlife. The removal and disturbance of native vegetation DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Hams D. Sherman, Executive Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Tom Burke, Chair • Claire O'Neal, Vice Chair • Robert Bray, Secretary Members, Brad Coors • Jeffrey Crawford • Rick Enstrom • Roy McAnally • Richard Ray • Ken Torres Ex Officio Members, Hams Sherman and John Stulp