2012-08-22_PERMIT FILE - M2012032

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t August 13, 2012 Dear Mr. Oswald, COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE 2300 S. Townsend Avenue • Montrose, Colorado 81401 Phone 970 252 -6000 • FAX 970 252 -6053 wildlife.state.co.us • parks state.co.us `Bob Oswald Environmental Protection Specialist Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety Department of Natural Resources 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 RECEIVED b(Q227012 Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety M- 2,a/ Z— c23 Z Thank you for providing us the opportunity to review the proposed permit for the Revenue Mine located in Ouray County, Colorado. Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers the following comments regarding the potential effects of the operation on wildlife resources in the area. The Revenue Mine is located in close proximity to Sneffels Creek which is a tributary of the Uncompahgre River. Leakage or breach of planned tailings and waste containment facilities can contaminate the groundwater or surface flows, potentially impacting aquatic life in and near Sneffels Creek and downstream waterways relatively quickly. On that basis we recommend monitoring water quality in Sneffels Creek above, at and below the mill site prior to, concurrent with, and after ore processing activities. This baseline information will ensure that water quality is not jeopardized by ore processing activities. Monitoring data should available for public review. Sediment ponds containing acidic solutions should be double lined to prevent contamination of groundwater and adjacent surface water. The Spill Response Plan does not list the CPW as one of the entities contacted in the event of a release that cannot be safely contained. Please add the CPW as a contact in order to prevent impacts to fish and wildlife or, in a worst case scenario, to enumerate resource losses, particularly fish kills. The proposed project area lies within black bear habitat and is approximately 2.5 miles from a mapped black bear /human conflict area. Unfortunately, when bears are allowed easy access to calorie rich human food sources, they will often forgo their natural diet in favor of human food sources such as waste in open dumpsters. Bears permitted access to human food sources have a propensity to progress into nuisance bears, which can result in public safety concerns. Special attention should be paid to the disposal of any human food sources on the project site which may include but no be limited to obtaining bear proof trash cans /dumpsters. STATE OF COLORADO John W Hickenlooper, Governor • Mike King, Executive Director, Department of Natural Resources Rick D. Cables, Director, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Parks and Wildlife Commission Robert W Bray • Chris Castilian • Jeanne Home Bill Kane, Vice -Chair • Gaspar Perncone • James Pribyl • John Singletary, Chair Mark Smith, Secretary • James Vigil • Dean Wingfield • Michelle Zimmerman Ex Officio Members Mike King and John Salazar