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quality standards in effect for the San Miguel River and related tributaries and that those <br /> classifications and standards be declared viod ab initio. Idarado also requested that the <br /> Commission establish and adopt revised segment boundaries, use classifications and water <br /> quality standards for those waters. The Idarado proposal was opposed by the Division of <br /> Wildlife(DOW), the Town of Telluride, and San Miguel County (who were also parties to the <br /> proceeding),and by the Water Quality Control Division (WQCD). <br /> Idarado owns the Idarado Mine located, in part, approximately one-half mile east of the Town of <br /> Telluride, County of San Miguel, Colorado. That portion of the mine is located in the San <br /> Miguel river drainage basin which is a part of the Lower Dolores river Basin (3.5.0) 5 CCR <br /> 1002-8. <br /> The headwaters of the San Miguel River, Formed by the confluence of Bridal Veil and Ingram <br /> Creeks, are located approximately one mile east of the Idarado mine and Pandora Mill site. The <br /> San Miguel River then flows past Idarado's properties, through the town of Telluride, and <br /> eventually to the Dolores River several miles downstream. <br /> Idarado presently discharges water from the mine pursuant to a National Pollutant Discharge <br /> Elimination System permit(No. CO-0026956). Discharges from the mine are to the ground, not <br /> directly to surface waters. <br /> The State of Colorado, in 1983, sued Idarado under the Comprehensive Environmental <br /> Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ("CERCLA"), 42 U.S.C. & 9601 et seq. In <br /> that action, the State alleges that Idarado's operations have resulted in injury to the environment. <br /> Idarado has vigorously contested that allegations and that action is presently pending in federal <br /> district court. Much of the information presented in this proceeding originally was generated in <br /> connection with the State CERCLA litigation. <br /> Summary of Action: <br /> Segment 3 of the San Miguel is resegmented into segment 3a above Marshall Creek and segment <br /> 3b below. Marshall Creek and Ingram Creek are divided into separate segments segment 6a for <br /> Ingram Creek and segment 6b for Marshall Creek. The existing classifications are retained for <br /> all segments. <br /> For new segment 3a,the existing numeric standards are retained except that the zinc standard is <br /> changed to 0.19 mg/l, a table value standard (for the 0 to 100 hardness range) is adopted for lead, <br /> and 6-year for Marshall Creek. The existing classifications are retained on all segments. <br /> For new segment 3a, the existing numeric standards are retained except that the zinc standard is <br /> changed to 0.19 mg/l, a table value standard (for the 100 to 200 hardness range) is adopted for <br /> lead,the table value standard for nickel is revised, based on the new hardness range, and 6-year <br /> temporary modifications based on the existing ambient quality are adopted for cadmium, copper, <br /> lead and zinc. <br /> For new segments 6 a and 6b, the existing numeric standards are retained except that the zinc <br /> standard is changed to 0.19 mg/l,table value standards (for the 0 to 100 hardness range) are <br /> adopted for cadmium, copper, and lead, and 6-year temporary modifications based on the <br /> existing ambient quality (except where it is already better than table values) are adopted for <br /> cadmium, copper, lead and zinc. <br /> For the reasons elaborated below and in the Fiscal Impact Statement, the Commission has <br /> determined that these changes are economically reasonable. This is particularly the case since <br /> the costs that will be incurred by Idarado to achieve the revised standards are the result of a need <br /> to remedy prior impacts caused by Idarado. <br /> Reseamentation: <br /> 25 <br />