2016-03-29_PERMIT FILE - M2016010 (2)

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,�On r REGED r/MAR 2 9 2016 rip_: James H. Enderson DIVISION OF RECLAMATION MININGANDSAFETY 3215 Austin Drive Colorado Springs CO 80909 719-633-6457 Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety 1313 Sherman Street ) I Denver CO 80203 RE: Transit Mix Quarry Application nyv)n t?A vf' , Dear Reviewer, My wife Betty and I own a cabin on Lot#8, Eagles Nest, west of the proposed quarry. We were shocked by the proposal and of course strongly urge that the permit sought by Transit Mix be denied. We purchased the property in 1999 and repaired the cabin built about 1920. I am retired (2001) and normally go to the property every week unless the snow is deep as in the last winter. The only access is across the Hitch Rack Ranch on an easement maintained by Eagles Nest owners. Intermittent closure of the road would mean we would need to adjust our travel and recreation to times when the road is supposed to be open. The problem goes beyond inconvenience. With a quarry and blasting, the value of the property would be much reduced. Imagine telling a prospective buyer, "by the way, you will not be able to go to and from the place when you want to." (As I write this letter the value of the cabin and the 32 acres is probably much reduced, pending your decision.) Unfortunately, the potential of loosing full-time use of the road is especially serious for me. In February of 2014, I became restricted to full-time medical oxygen. The cause was auto-immune lung damage. The condition has stabilized and does not interfere with travel to the cabin, but the small portable oxygen bottles limit my time there to a few hours. Oxygen equipment failure or another mishap would require urgent use of the road. In addition to our personal concerns, the site is a very poor place for a quarry. The region around the proposed site is now too densely populated for a quarry operation.