2010-03-05_PERMIT FILE - C1982056A ‎(3)‎

• Permit No: C1982056A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/5/2010
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2.04 Environmental Resources
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

to determine the level of detail of wildlife information and studies necessary to satisfy the requirements of
CMLRD Rules Section 2.04.11 for the Twentymile Coal Company's (TCC) Foidel Creek Mine Life -of -Mine
permit revision application. Based on discussions at this meeting, six items of wildlife concern were identified,
along with the level of detail required by the agencies for each item of concern. It was also concluded that if
these items were studied and addressed to the identified levels in the application, the basic requirements of
Section 2.04.11 would be satisfied. The following topics of study or concern were identified:
1. Continued monitoring and protection of sage grouse leks.
2. Conduct field vegetation studies in conjunction with snow depth analysis on sagebrush to determine
where critical winter range for sage grouse exists.
3. Conduct a spring nesting survey of sandhill cranes.
4. Check permit boundary and potential areas of disturbance against CDOW maps to determine if any
critical big -game winter range may be impacted.
5. Investigate benefits of a mass transit system for transport of workers from main portal to shafts.
6. Monitor and record big -game road -kills on county haulroad from main portal to tipple during first year
of mine operation. If road -kills become excessive, then meet with CDOW to decide on mitigation
measures.
Following the consultation meeting, the Applicant submitted a letter to the CMLRD, CDOW, and Office of
Surface Mining (OSM) outlining the results of this meeting and the general level of wildlife information
requested. This letter and letters of response and concurrence from the CMLRD, CDOW, and OSM are
contained in Exhibit 17, Letters of Regulatory Concurrence on Level of Detail of Required Wildlife
Information.
In the spring of 1984 the Applicant contracted the services of Cedar Creek Associates (CCA) in Fort Collins,
Colorado, to conduct wildlife studies and prepare wildlife permit sections for TCC's Foidel Creek Mine. Field
studies were initiated in April, 1984, and completed in July, 1984.
The following sections describe the study methodologies employed by CCA, and also list other pertinent studies
and documents that were reviewed for use in compiling species lists and describing the general faunal and
habitat characteristics of the permit area.
Methodology - Numerous fish and wildlife resource investigations have been conducted in the vicinity of the
Twentymile Park permit area. In 1975 a Dames and Moore study (Exhibit 18, Baseline Environmental Report
for Proposed Coal Mine Expansion) examined terrestrial fauna in Sections 1, 12, 13, and portions of Sections 2,
11 and 14, TSN, R86W; Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17 and 18, TSN, R85W; Sections 25, 36 and portions of Sections 26
and 35, T6N R86W; and Sections 30, 31 and 32, T6N, R85W. Additional wildlife inventories were conducted
in the vicinity of the permit area by ERT /Ecology Consultants, Inc. in 1979 (Exhibit 19, Fish and Wildlife
Resources Information, Eckman Park Permit Area). Aquatic monitoring studies have been conducted on Fish
Creek, Foidel Creek and Middle Creek (Exhibit 20, Aquatic Biological Survey of Middle Creek and Fish Creek
Area, Exhibit 21, Aquatic Biology Survey of Foidel Creek and its Unnamed Tributary, and Exhibit 22, Aquatic
Biology Monitoring Survey of Foidel Creek). This yearly monitoring of macrophytes, fish and benthic
invertebrates was terminated on December 6, 1982 when the CMLRD approved a request by the Applicant to
curtail the aquatic monitoring program because the Applicant and the CDOW felt that existing data was
sufficient and additional monitoring was
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PR09 -08 2.04 -62 04/10/09