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as well. The Tall Shrub plant community targeted for disturbance within the Collom Expansion <br />Area is neither unique or rare locally or regionally. The proposed reclamation plan provides a <br />reclamation surface and plant communities that will first and foremost ensure hydrologic <br />stability and sediment control in the long term. <br />Wildlife survey work was also conducted during 2008 that monitored the two greater sage- <br />grouse lek locations of concern in the Collom Expansion Area and both were deemed inactive at <br />that time. No additional leks were identified in 2008. Additional survey work is currently being <br />conducted, and the information gained from these surveys will be added to the previous three <br />years worth of information for management purposes. Should any new leks be identified <br />through the course of this years' survey, appropriate identification and monitoring of these <br />locations will continue into the future. Due to the nature of the operation, CDOW is not <br />pursuing the application of spatial or seasonal buffers. <br />Colowyo has been a long-time contributor to CDOW's efforts to obtain data on local populations <br />of greater sage-grouse for purposes of identifying movement of birds throughout their annual and <br />life cycles, chick mortality, brood success/failure, etc. This information is being used by CDOW <br />and Colowyo to more effectively manage this specie, identify opportunities to enhance habitat, <br />and mitigate impacts. Specific itemization of this support is as follows: <br />1) Direct financial sponsorship of field studies in the Axial Basin. <br />2) CDOW personnel/researchers have been granted full access to all Colowyo private <br />lands and public lands isolated by private ownership. (Approximately 70,000 deeded <br />acres; Approximately 140,000 total acres under direct management contol) <br />3) Colowyo has provided an off-permit ranch house in the Axial Basin to act as a base of <br />operations for CDOW personnel/other researchers conducting grouse monitoring and <br />studies in the area. <br />4) Morgan Creek Ranching for Wildlife Area <br />a. Annual habitat enhancement projects <br />b. Annual CDOW sage-grouse counts <br />c. Specific rotational grazing program development <br />5) Axial Basin Coordinated Resource Management agreement <br />a. Cooperative management agreement between Colowyo, BLM, CDOW, other <br />local landowners, county weed management group, etc. <br />b. Habitat enhancement projects for sage grouse and other wildlife species <br />c. Public access to Colowyo private land <br />d. Specific rotational grazing program development <br />e. Direct annual financial support of noxious weed management in the Axial <br />Basin <br />It is Colowyo's understanding that with respect to the Section 7 consultation process, CDRMS <br />and USFWS would conduct this review based on the information provided to CDRMS through <br />the application process. <br />Colowyo has reduced the disturbance footprint in the Little Collom X Pit and as a result has <br />reduced the potential impacts to migratory birds in the Collom Expansion Area. Survey data <br />from 2006 and 2008 identified no active raptor nests in the proposed Collom Expansion Area <br />Colowyo Mine C-1981-019 page 4 of 5 4 May 2011 <br />Permit Revision 03 - Collom Permit Expansion