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Blue Pit 112 Permit Amendment <br />Introduction <br />The existing Blue Pit is located approximately 2.5 miles east of Carbondale, CO on Highway 82. The <br />Blue Pit is separated from the Roaring Fork River Valley by an 8o' tall natural slope which remains <br />after removing the gravel from an elevated alluvial terrace. Western Slope Aggregates, Inc. has a <br />lease with the landowner of parcels 2393-254-00 -265 and 2393-254-00 -285 which allows them to <br />conduct mining operations north of this slope. The gravel deposit which is being mined was <br />deposited by the Roaring Fork River and is greater than ioo feet thick. The groundwater level limits <br />the mining of the deposit at approximately go feet deep in the expansion area and 6o feet in current <br />permit area. The groundwater surface is estimated from the existing excavation and by exploration <br />drilling conducted in the area. <br />The site has been mined since 1981 under the DRMS Reclamation Permit # M- 1981 -207. Western <br />Slope Aggregates, Inc. has operated the site since 1991. The site expanded to an annual production <br />rate of approximately 450,000 tons per year, in the early 20oo's. The existing permit area is 82.70 <br />acres; approximately 25 acres is still able to be mined. This amendment application is to allow for <br />an expansion area of approximately 6o acres, all of which will be used for additional gravel mining. <br />The existing reserves will be exhausted in approximately 7 to 9 years and Western Slope Aggregates, <br />Inc. wants to secure reserves further into the future. The expansion area is located directly adjacent <br />to the existing operation and is shown the Index Map which is included in Exhibit B. <br />The Garfield County Special Use Permit for this expansion was approved in 2012. This amendment <br />as of 2014 is to revise the DRMS permit to coincide with the approved existing Garfield Special Use <br />Permit. <br />Blue Pit May 2014 i -1 <br />