Laserfiche WebLink
Janet Binns <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety <br />The Centennial Building <br />1313 Sherman St., Rm. 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />RE: Colowyo PR3 Additional Permit Revision Information Request <br />Dear Ms. Janet Binns <br />United States Department of the Interior <br />OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING <br />Reclamation and Enforcement <br />Western Region Office <br />1999 Broadway, Suite 3320 <br />Denver, CO 80202 -3050 <br />August 2, 201RECEIVED <br />AUO ti 52012 <br />4t01 <br />CO -0015 <br />The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's Western Region (OSM) is in the <br />process of conducting the section 7 biological assessment (BA) on the Colowyo Mine as <br />requested by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS). OSM has <br />reviewed the PR3 permit revision package and found that additional information is needed in <br />order for our office to move forward on the Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 7 <br />consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Please provide the following <br />information and/or documentation: <br />• Total water depletion verification and fee payment. Based on the previous <br />Colowyo permit documentation, the total water depletion was 554.48 ac -ft. <br />(527.47 ac -ft. within the initial permit plus 27.00 ac -ft. within PR2) and now <br />Colowyo PR3 is estimated at an additional 36.00 ac -ft.; therefore, the entire <br />permit area has a water depletion of 590.47 ac -ft. Since this water depletion <br />amount exceeds the 100 ac -ft threshold set forth by the "Recovery <br />Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado <br />River Basin ", OSM needs to verify that the required recovery fee was paid. <br />• Quantitative estimates of the potential loss of vegetation types as a result of the <br />Collom Pit expansion, short- and long -term, with a comparison to reclamation <br />plans and projections. OSM needs to assess potential habitat impacts to sage - <br />grouse lekking grounds, nesting, brood - rearing, and seasonal or transitional types <br />such as winter range. This concern was documented in the USFWS February 22, <br />2011, letter to Kurtis Blunt of Colowyo Coal Company. <br />• Up -to -date monitoring surveys to obtain current data (including corresponding <br />maps) on the status of existing leks and to determine whether any new lek sites <br />have occurred since the 2006/2007 surveys. OSM needs this information to <br />