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of mining. No leks, greater sage-grouse or Columbian sharp-tail grouse are targeted for direct <br />physical disturbance and should be left intact for future use post mining activity. <br />Proposed additional mitigation efforts, beyond the substantial measures already in place in <br />cooperation with CDOW, BLM, local landowners, etc. are listed below: <br />1) Conversion of approximately 274 acres of wheat fields surrounding the <br />Gossard Loadout facility to a CRP equivalent plant community would act as additional <br />sage grouse/mule deer/elk habitat. <br />2) Re-evaluation of grazing leases in the Morgan Creek Ranching for Wildlife <br />Area to identify specifically targeted improvements that would benefit local sage grouse <br />populations. <br />3) Evaluation of livestock grazing utilization of specific riparian areas in the <br />Morgan Creek Ranching for Wildlife Area and subsequent scheduling of possible water <br />development, fencing or other relevant management practices that would positively <br />impact local sage grouse populations. <br />4) Evaluation of the Axial Basin Coodinated Resource Management agreement <br />(Cooperative agreement between Colowyo, BLM, CDOW and other local landowners to <br />enhance multiple wildlife species habitat and noxious weed management in the Axial <br />Basin) and management practices that could identify additional areas in the Axial Basin <br />that are eligible candidates for habitat improvement initiatives. <br />5) Proposed mining disturbance areas have been minimized and where possible <br />configured to avoid high value habitats. Limitation of the generation of non-essential <br />sources and intensity of noise, traffic, travel corridors, and other potentially negative <br />impacts to sage-grouse and other forms of wildlife have been evaluated and incorporated <br />into the proposed permit revision materials. <br />- A brief quantitative analysis of the long term loss of greater sage grouse habitat is a bit <br />more dubious to define as the expected plant communities targeted for establishment on the <br />reclaimed surface have a large potential upside especially for greater sage-grouse brood rearing <br />habitat. As stated previously, historic lek locations are not currently targeted for disturbance and <br />will be available to the local grouse populations as they adjust to mining activity or after mining <br />activity is concluded. The current condition of the majority of sagebrush habitat targeted for <br />disturbance within the Collom Expansion Area is predominately mature age class, moderately <br />dense and somewhat restrictive for sage-grouse utilization. Habitat enhancement efforts <br />conducted in this area in the past utilized burning, chaining, mowing and herbicide spraying <br />treatments to stratify and reduce the age class to a younger more dispersed expression. Overall <br />forage quality and quantity should be enhanced for wildlife species including sage grouse, elk, <br />mule deer and pronghorn antelope. The impact of a long term loss of the Tall Shrub plant <br />community in the expansion area is minimal on big game populations as evidenced from the <br />impacts to these species on the existing operation. Similar minimal impacts to the Columbian <br />sharp-tail grouse are expected as they have adapted to mining activities at the current operation <br />Colowyo Mine C-1981-019 page 3 of 5 4 May 2011 <br />Permit Revision 03 - Collom Permit Expansion