APPCOR12049

• Permit No: C1994082
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 1/6/1995
• Doc Name: PERMIT APPLICATION FOR PEABODY WESTERN COAL CO YOAST MINE T5 AND 6N R 87W HAYDEN IN ROUTT CNTY COLO
• From: US DEPT OF INTERIOR
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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IN REPLY REFER TO.
United States Department of the Interior
ES/CO:CDMG
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•
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Ecologid Scrvmes
IX/atern Colorado Offn:c
'64 Horivnn Drive. $ou[h Anna A
Grind Junction, Colorado 815063746
January 3, 1995
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Susan Burgmaier
Environmental Protection Specialist
Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Subject: Permit Application for Peabody Western Coal Company's Yoast Mine,
T. 5 and 6 N., R. 87 W., Hayden, in Routt County, Colorado
(Permit no. C-94-082)
Dear Ms. Burgmaier:
other waters under jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)
are present on the site, appropriate permits will need to be obtained from the
Corps' Grand Junction office (phone: [phone]).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has reviewed the wildlife
portions of the subject coal mining permit application and has several
comments. The wildlife portions did not discuss wetlands in the project area.
There was discussion of "bottomland areas" along stream corridors that contain
riparian vegetation, but it was not stated whether wetlands are associated
with the stream corridors or if wetlands exist in other areas. If wetlands or
The Service would like to update the species list in the permit application
and point out that the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugea) was
designated as a category 2 candidate species on November 15, 1994, (59 FR
58982). Also, the North American wolverine (Gu1o gulo )uscus) has been a
category 2 candidate species for a number of years. There is no federal
designation for the willow flycatcher (Empidomax traillii); however, the
southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidomax traillii extimus) is proposed for
listing as endangered (59 FR 58982) but the Service does not believe that
subspecies occurs in the Yampa River Basin. A subspecies of the least bittern
(Ixobrychus excilis hesperis) is a candidate species but it is not listed as
such in Colorado.
The permit application stated that the federally listed peregrine falcon
(Falco peregrinus), bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), whooping crane
(Grus americana), and federal candidate northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis),
ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis), black tern (Childonias niger), Columbian
sharptailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) and loggerhead
shrike (Lanius )udovicianus) may occupy the area. Of these, only the
peregrine falcon, bald eagle, northern goshawk, and Columbian sharptailed
grouse were observed on the mining area during 1993 surveys. Nonetheless, all
of these birds could utilize the proposed mining site prior to and during