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STATE OF COLORADO G01ARA?j? <br />John W. Hickenlooper, Governor '? <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER ?fON OF~4 <br />Thomas E. Remington,. Director Forldlife- <br />6060 Broadway For People <br />Denver, Colorado 80216 <br />Telephone: (303) 297-1192 <br />wildlife. state. co. us <br />Angela Bellantoni January 22, 2011 <br />Environmental Alternatives Inc. <br />1107 Main Street <br />Canon City, CO 81212 <br />RE: Willow Creek Mine #M1983011 <br />Dear Ms. Bellantoni: <br />In response to your email and phone call regarding the DRMS permit application for the above noted mining <br />operation (also, Blecha, Mt. Elbert Mining Company), I can offer some general comments and concerns at this <br />time. More detailed formal input may follow should an actual permit application and request for comments be <br />received from DRMS. <br />Reclamation vegetation should be consistent with US Forest Service recommendations for plantings/seeding on <br />their adjacent property. Plantings/seeding efforts should be followed with annual evaluations for multiple years <br />and supplemental seeding should be required to assure that appropriate re-vegetation is actually successful (as per <br />NRCS or equivalent standards). Bonding requirements should be adequate to cover these follow up efforts. <br />Wildlife species consistent with lodge pole and sage/grass mix habitats are present or use the property in question. <br />The mine is within the indentified range of lynx. Aspen are present on a small percentage of the acreage. The <br />mining property is located within deer and elk winter range, a deer and elk production area, a movement corridor <br />and transitional range. Summer use of the area by deer and elk is the lowest big game use period of the year. The <br />mining operation does/will remove the use of that acreage from use by big game for the duration of operation and <br />reclamation. More significantly, impacts to big game use on adjacent public and private lands immediately <br />surrounding the mine operation area are of greater concern. Disturbance to big game will be directly proportional <br />to the volume of traffic and season(s) of mining activity. Public hunting occurs on three sides of the mine acreage <br />with private hunting on the forth side. <br />I hope this information will be adequate for you to prepare your client's application. <br />Sincerely, <br />James L. Aragon <br />Area Wildlife Manager <br />7405 Highway 50 <br />Salida, CO <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Mike King, Executive Director <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Tim Glenn, Chair • Robert Streeter, Vice Chair • Mark Smith, Secretary <br />Members, David R. Brougham • Dennis Buechler • Dorothea Farris • Allan Jones • John Singletary • Dean Wingfield <br />Ex Officio Members, Mike King and John Salazar