2010-05-10_REVISION - M1980248 - Laserfiche WebLink

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STATE OF COLORADO Bill Ritter, Jr., Governor J/ DEPARTMENT OF DIVISIONAOF RWILDLIFE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Thomas E. Remington, Director 6060 Broadway Denver, Colorado 80216 Telephone: (303) 297-1192 wildlife. state. co. us Dustin M. Czapla, Environmental Protection Specialist Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, Colorado 80203 May 7, 2010 RE: Moffat County, Lyons Pit No. 2 Permit No. M-1980-248 To Mr. Czapla: --?a M - 0.2 r.-VED MAY 10 2010 y Dir n c,r r Wu,?, won Mining and Safety -D N V c4or For Wildlife- For People Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Lyons No.2 Pit expansion operated by Moffat County Board of County Commissioners. The proposed site is located 3 miles southeast of Craig in Section 2, Township 6N Range 90W, of Moffat County. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) has reviewed this application- and, would like to provide the following comments. The CDOW 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. Specifically, the area of proposed expansion lies within an identified Elk Winter Concentration Areas. Additional wildlife habitats include Columbian Sharptail Grouse Winter Range and Elk Severe Winter Range. Potential impacts to wildlife from this proposal could include habitat fragmentation, disruption to migration and habitat connection corridors, as well as diminished value to the beneficial buffer zone this property provides. During the mining operation as well as once the site is reclaimed, consideration should be given to minimizing impacts to wildlife through sound operational procedures and reclamations that enhances the opportunity for wildlife. Consideration should also be taken on the amount of gravel pits that are stacking up in the immediate area around this pit on the Yampa River corridor. These riparian areas are vital to wildlife and most species use these wetland areas for some aspect of their life cycle. The cumulative effect of the entire disturbance from the pits in the area should be looked at seriously. Big game species including deer and elk use the river area as a migration corridor and cumulative disturbance may have an effect on migration. With the migration corridor and winter range in mind 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 and allow movement to winter grounds. I"r•-•^ir,'. ?:' pr« .. .) ? r Non native weed speci have become established on many disturbed sotIs'throughout,the area cjThe mvasion'of ss -P &A the l habitat :'values 1 for: n'atfVdr W l`d ife non-native weeds reduces the density' of 'native vegetation 'ahd"' le ' ,species.,.. Many.o?these non-;native weeds are not used as forage by wildlife. The continual control and removal rof,non-native;weeds,-on?the?d sturbed/rehabilitated sites will help restore native vegetation that is valuable to ,wildlife. , . t: ;f t:+,''. I r `,sec nr?u• ,tJCi DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, James B. Martin, Executive Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Tim Glenn, Chair • Robert Streeter, Vice Chair • Mark Smith, Secretary Members, David R. Brougham • Dennis Buechler • Dorothea Farris • Allan Jones • John Singletary • Dean Wingfield Ex Officio Members, James B. Martin and John Stulp