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STATE OF COLORADO <br />Bill Owens, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />R~eBen George, Direclor RECEIVED <br />6060 Broadway <br />Denver, Colorado 80218 <br />Telephone: (303) 297-t 192 DEC 162002 <br />Northwest Region Office <br />711 Independent Avenue <br />Grand ]unction, CO 81505 <br />(970)255-6100 <br />Division of Minerals and Geology <br />Colorado Division of Minerals & Geologyl/ / <br />Attn: Mr. Carl B. Mount ~~ ~ "~( <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />Dear Mr. Mount, <br />Far ~ldlife- <br />ForPeopk <br />December 12, 2002 <br /> <br />The Colorado Division of 'Idlife- has reviewed the United Companies 15 Road Pit <br />Reclamatio rml Applicatlo ~ M-2002- I have reviewed the mining an reclamation plans, as <br />well as the petitione?s ire .The mining operation has a projected life of 17+ years and <br />will disturb approximately 200 acres of land. As recent as the early 1990's this parcel was productive <br />agricultural land. Most of the property was irrigated and provided quality habitat for numerous species of <br />wildlife. The lack of irrigation since the mid-1990's has greatly reduced the wildlife habitat values <br />associated with this land. While much of the area to be disturbed is currently of limited value to wildlife, <br />the parcel still contains some important wildlife habitats. These include wetland areas associated with <br />both natural and man-made drainages,. and stands of cottonwood trees. Both of those habitats are very <br />limited inydistributiori in~Mesa County, ahd, are quite valuable to wildlife. . <br />Lowland riparian. vegetation is one of the significant wildlife habitats occurring on the property. <br />This includes a small grove of mature cottonwoods found at the southwest edge of the property, and a <br />line of mature cottonwoods associated with a drainage near the eastern boundary of the parcel. Aline of <br />younger cottonwoods exists near the western portion of Mining Area #2, but was not noted in the <br />Wildlife Assessment. The cottonwoods near the eastern boundary were part of a much larger grove of <br />trees that was razed during the mid-1990's. The destruction of those trees has greatly increased the <br />habitat value of the remaining cottonwoods. The loss of any of the mature cottonwoods on the property <br />would have a significant negative impact on wildlife. <br />The property also contains some wetland areas associated with irrigation ditches and natural <br />drainages occurring on the parcel. This includes a marshy swale and shallow pond located near the <br />eastern boundary of the property and associated with the mature cottonwood grove. The petitioner's <br />Wetlands Delineation Report indicates that both Jurisdictional Wetlands and Waters of the United States <br />are present. Mr. Nick Mezei of the U. 5. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) indicated that more detailed <br />information was needed from the petitioner before the extent and classification of existing wetlands on <br />the site could be determined. It is Guite possible that an Individual Permit from the USACOE will be <br />required,prior to any disturbance of the wetland areas.. , <br />. ; • .. <br /> <br />• DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Greg E. Walcher, Executive Director <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Rick Enstrom, Chair • Robert Shoemaker, ViceChair • Marianna Raftopoulos, Secretary <br />Members, Bernard Black • Tom Burke • Jeffrey Crawford • Philip James • Brad Phelps • Olive Valdez <br />5c-0fficio Members, Greg E. Walcher and Don Ament <br />