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0 <br />• <br />r <br />Marshall 1986). Peatland excavation removes the peat from the <br />site for use in its natural form by greenhouses, nurseries, <br />landscapers, and home gardeners as a general soil amendment and <br />horticultural medium. In Colorado, this is the primary use for <br />excavated peat. Secondary uses, may include its use as an energy <br />source and as a media for treatment of acid mine drainage. <br />The peat extraction industry in Colorado is composed of <br />approximately 20 active operators. The majority of which <br />excavate peat as one component of their overall business <br />operation. Several of the operators are primarily sand and <br />gravel firms that also excavate peat (ie. Universal Sand and <br />Gravel, Santa Fe Sand and Gravel, Fry Sand and Gravel). <br />An estimate of total annual peat extraction was made by <br />contacting all firms known to be operating in Colorado. The <br />total estimated annual extraction is 102,060 cu yds.(51,000 <br />tons). Most operations are located within 100 miles of Denver <br />and Colorado Springs, and seem to be clustered in either northern <br />Park County or Teller County. Several confirmed and unconfirmed <br />sites are located in the mountainous portions of Larimer, <br />Boulder, Gilpin, and Jefferson Counties. In almost all cases the <br />land was privately owned and leased to the peat operator. <br />It is uncertain how many acres are actually affected in the <br />excavation of this amount annually. At a minimum several hundred <br />acres are presently affected. The total area affected both <br />directly and indirectly could be as high as several thousand. <br />iv <br />