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<br />., <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />9. Legal notice of intent to modify weather was published in a timely mamIer in the local newspaper <br />in the target area of Gunnison County. Notice of intent was also stated to be published in the <br />adjacent counties of Pitkin, Chaffee, Saguache, Hinsdale, Ouray, Montrose, Delta and Mesa. <br />Affidavits of publication will be required for Gunnison County and the adjacent cOlll1ties as <br />conditions for receiving a permit. <br /> <br />10. Butch Clark made a request as a representative of the agricultural industry and as a project <br />sponsor. He asked the CWCB to consider the lost grazing opportunity in late fall and early spring <br />on public lands. Mr. Clark also asked that the south end ofthe valley not be neglected in future <br />cloud seeding operations. The CWCB staff believe that an operational year of December I through <br />April ISis a compromise that allows for an effective seeding year that minimizes the potential <br />negative effects of additional snow depth on grazing opportunities. <br /> <br />II. The EP A operates and air quality monitoring station in Gothic that is called Clean Air Status and <br />Trends Network (CASTNET). The project sponsors should contact the EP A regarding the <br />feasibility of monitoring air quality over the life of the permit. <br /> <br />12. Dr. Ian Billick of the Rocky MOlll1tain Biological Institute requested that the project sponsors and <br />the NA WC coordinate with the Rocky MOlll1tain Biological Institute in the monitoring, evaluation <br />programs and review of amIual reports by NA WC. The CWCB's recommendation that costs for <br />the additional monitoring, evaluation, and coordination with the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab <br />be limited to 5% of the contract costs between the project sponsors and NA WC, or approximately <br />$4,000 per year. <br /> <br />13. A public hearing on the application was held from 2:00 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. on Wednesday, <br />December 18, 2002 at the Gunnison COlll1ty Courthouse in Gunnison, Colorado. The hearing was <br />conducted in the immediate vicinity of the target area and not more than one week following the <br />completion of publication ofthe notice of intent to conduct weather modification. Eleven people <br />attended the public hearing. {s 36-20-112(2), CRS} <br /> <br />14. The project has potential to increase snowpack by 10-20% in the Gunnison River Basin with <br />positive effects on spring run off and additional water storage in Blue Mesa Reservoir and Taylor <br />Park Reservoir and benefits to the City of Crested Butte and Crested Butte Mountain Resort as <br />well as benefits to local agricultural users. <br /> <br />15. The proposed project is a "ground based winter cloud seeding" project intended to be operated <br />from November I through April 30 of each year for the next five years. {s 36-20-104(2.5), CRS} <br /> <br />16. The project is expected to use a reasonable amOlll1t of silver iodide per year as the cloud seeding <br />agent. Silver iodide is an inert compound. <br /> <br />17. The proposed project is a commercial project and should be charged the standard 2% commercial <br />fee. Commercial fees are used to the fund the weather modification permit program for the State <br />of Colorado. <br /> <br />18. The project has no federal funding and all generator sites are on private land and not federal land. <br />All generator sites will be required to record the sites by Global Positioning Systems Units for <br />longitude, latitude and elevation and the make the data available to the project sponsors and the <br />CWCB. <br /> <br />6 <br />