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April 15 2012 COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE 4207 West County Road 16E Loveland, Colorado 80537 Phone: 970 - 472-4462 • FAX: 970-472 -4468 wildlife.state.co.us • parks.state.co.us Mr. Eric Scott Department of Natural Resources Division of Reclamation, Mining, & Safety 1313 Sherman St., Room 214 Denver, CO 80203 Oz. 1) M Cd Re: L.G. Everest Inc., Fort Lupton Sand and Gravel Mine, Permit No. M- 1999 -120 Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) received your request for comments regarding the amendment to this mining application and appreciates the opportunity to comment on this project. The Fort Lupton Sand and Gravel mine lies in the South Platte River valley located north of the city of Fort Lupton between County Road 14 %2 and just north of County Road 18 on the west side of the S. Platte River. While much of the project site is composed of disturbed mining areas and agricultural pastures, there are also valuable wetlands and riparian habitat that are of high value to wildlife. The South Platte River and the cottonwood riparian corridor adjacent to the river is high quality habitat for many species of wildlife that use the riparian corridor for migration, shelter, nesting, and food resources. For these reasons CPW requests that the riparian corridor be left undisturbed to the extent possible. Buffer zones or setbacks from the bank of the river should be set back approximately 300 feet to ensure that riparian and wetland habitats remain intact, to preserve wildlife habitat, to minimize additional siltation in the river and to insure proper stream bank stability. CPW also recommends that any cottonwood trees that need to be removed be replaced on a one to one basis during site reclamation. The Little Dry Creek and the Fort Lupton Bottoms Ditch, East and West Branch, also lie within the project area. These wetland waterways provide wetland vegetation that serves as habitat for many species of wildlife as well. CPW recommends that a 50 foot setback from the banks of these wetland areas to preserve the vegetation along these waterways, to minimize siltation, bank stabilization and wildlife habitat. In areas where mining will take place CPW recommends that the developer consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the presence /absence of Preble's meadow jumping mouse and the Ute ladies tress orchid which are federally endangered species. The wetland habitats found on the project site are potentially suitable habitat for both of these species. Consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service will help determine whether survey work is warranted prior to onset of mining STATE OF COLORADO John W. I�idcenlooper, Governor. Mike King, Executive Director, Department of Natural Resources Rids D. Cables, Director, Colorado Parks and Wiens Parks and Widhfe Commission: David R Brougham • Gary Bulhe with, Vice -Chair • Chris Castilian Dorothea Farris • Tin Glenn, Chair • Allan Jones • BM Kane • Gaspar Perrioane • Jim Pr#ryl • John Singletary