2012-05-03_APPLICATION CORRESPONDENCE - C2010089 (3)

Home Browse Search

Sandy Brown, Senior Environmental Protection Specialist Department of Natural Resources Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety The Centennial Building 1313 Sherman St., Rm. 215 Denver, CO 80203 RE: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement section 7 coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife for proposed actions at New Horizon North Mine, Montrose County, Colorado, State Permit C2010089 Dear Ms. Sandy Brown: United States Department of the Interior OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING Reclamation and Enforcement Western Region Office 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320 Denver, CO 80202 -3050 April 27, 2012 TOT o N, CO -0000 The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's Western Region (OSM) conducted a section 7 biological assessment (BA) on the New Horizon North Mine as requested by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS). OSM coordinated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for federally listed protected species within Montrose County, Colorado. The concluding determinations of effects of New Horizon North Mine proposed actions on Threatened and/or Endangered and/or their critical habitats were as follows: Mexican Spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) • due to a lack of suitable habitat on or near the New Horizon North Mine permit area, the mining activity will not affect the Mexican Spotted owl. Bonytail chub (Gila elegans) • due to the possible occurrence of Bonytail chub in the Colorado River, which receives tributary waters from the project area and an estimated water depletion amount of 42.33 acre -feet per year with a maximum amount in the range of 51.26 acre -feet per year, the New Horizon North mining activities may effect, and is likely to adversely affect the Bonytail chub.