2012-01-06_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1982057

Home Browse Search

revision demonstrating that each permanent impoundment meets the requirements of 4.05.9(13). The Division hereby approves the primary post- mining land uses rangeland /wildlife habitat, and industrial use as the secondary land use on the oil well area of the permit area only(2.07.6(2)(1)). The proposed operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. X. Protection of Fish, Wildlife and Related Environmental Values The fish and wildlife resources information is presented in Tab 10 of Volume 6 of the permit application. Section 11.1 contains the entire contents of Tab 11 from the previously approved permit application package. Section 11.2 contains information from the 1997 supplemental wildlife baseline studies in the Seneca II -W South Extension area. The fish and wildlife mitigation measures to be used are contained in Tab 23 in Volume 14 of the permit application. In developing the original permit and the PR -1 and PR -2 applications, the applicant consulted with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management to develop appropriate mitigation measures. The mitigation measures that were required included establishment of shrub and tree clumps in the reclaimed areas, development of surface undulations in reclaimed final grading to provide big game cover, special fence and power line construction plans, special timing of construction activities and wildlife monitoring (among other measures). Fish and wildlife habitat is a planned post- mining land use. Seneca Coal Company has selected appropriate plant species and distributions to benefit fish and wildlife (4.18(5)(i)). In association with the Permit Renewal reviews up through RN -5 and permit revisions up through PR -5, both the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were notified and their comments concerning potential effects of the operation on threatened or endangered wildlife species of wildlife were solicited. The Colorado Division of Wildlife has not indicated concerns with respect to potential impacts to threatened or endangered species. The Boreal Toad (Bufo boreas boreas) is a state listed endangered species and a Federal candidate species. Potential habitat for the Boreal Toad was identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during the review of PR -2. In response to this concern, SCC surveyed the Seneca II -W South Extension Area for presence of the Boreal Toad three times in the spring and summer of 1999. Methodologies recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were used. No Boreal Toad populations were observed. The survey results indicated that the toads either do not exist in the extension area or exist in numbers too low to detect. Seneca II -W Findings Document 52 C- 1982 -057 Permit Revision No. 6 January 6, 2012