2011-08-03_PERMIT FILE - M2011036

Home Browse Search

August 1, 2011 Distin Czapla Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety Colorado Departm'ent of Natural Resources 101 South 3 St. Sjite 301 Grand Junction, CO 81501 RECEIVED i/AUG 0 3 2011 _ GRAND JUNCTION FIELD OFFICE ld RECLAMATION MINING & SAFETY RE: Limestone Pit No. M- 2011 -036, Division of Wildlife (DOW) Comments Regarding 112c Application Thanks for the comments made by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the opportunity to respond to the jurisdictional issues presented by the DOW. It is important to €et a clear view of Moffat County's proposed operation as outlined on our Reclamation Plan Map (Exhibit F): "Moffat County's 20 year plan is to crush around 15,000 cu /yds of limestone and screen it to size -7/8 inch before adding around 10% clay to it. This road -base stockpile will last our maintenance crem ►s about 5 years per crushing. In 20 years, Moffat County will have mined 65,000 cu /yds of construction material, which is roughly the equivalent to 4 acres of surface area mined ten feet deep. Although Moffat County does not specify any particular season for the crushing stages, this is a very small, low impact operation projected over 20 years. To put this into perspective, our County Road No. 1.0 will normally have a greater impact on wildlife than will the crushing storing and haulini operation! DOW theorizes that Moffat County can manage "Impacts to Greater sage - grouse" by minimizing the retention of stagnant surface water at the site and treating any surface water that provides a medium for breeding mosquitoes with "Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis v. israelensis) or take other effective action to control mosquito larvae that may spread West Nile Virus to wildlife, especially sage - grouse ". Moffat County is required by Stormwater regulations to develop berms, ditches and settling basins to manage the sediment and to control erosion (see Exhibit G). There is no expectation that Stormwater management will impound water for a substantial time because of the sandy soils I have listed in Exhibit C -3 (pages 1 thru 7). Moffat County will manage the limestone quarry excavation.; to prevent impounding stormwater over long periods of time. It is interesting that DOW is concerned about possible stagnant surface water on a proposed limestone pit to protect the Greater sage - grouse from West Nile Virus, while a few yards from our west boundar (on State land) there is a wetland area of about 3 acres of stagnant water swarming with mosquitoes.. RECENISID AUG 102011 Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety