2016-04-11_PERMIT FILE - M2016010 (2)

Home Browse Search

April 05, 2016 Colorado Division of Redamation, Mining and Safety 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, Colorado 80203 Re: Transit Mix Concrete Company Application for Reclamation Permit, Hitch Rack Ranch Quarry (# M2016010) Dear Madam or Sir, RECFI"D L/41PR 112016 DIVISION OF RECLAMATION MINING AND SAFETY I am a retired Hydraulics/Hydrology (H&H) Professional Engineer (P.E.) previously employed by the State of Colorado Dept. of Transportation and now retired. My employment with The State of Colorado frequently brought me into conference with officials from the CDOT Environmental Staff and representatives from State Health (EPA) and FEMA in seeking solutions to many types of water and drainage problems. I am writing to express concerns regarding the above application for new rock mining which I believe may create an intractable water resources pollution problem for present and future residents along the SH115 corridor. The proposed mining would occur on Hitch Rack Ranch which is just north of my residence in The Pinions of Turkey Canon Ranch development. When I moved into The Pinions of Turkey Carson Ranch Development in 1999 I soon learned that the water supply for The Piflons was out of compliance with uranium and radiological maximum contamination levels (MCLs). I became a volunteer to our unpaid water board and we put enormous effort into finding a way a small district could mitigate uranium in the water supply. After several years of work we did evolve an engineering solution to removing the uranium, albeit a burdensome expense imposed upon our small water district. In working with the above problem we discovered that much of the Rocky Mountain Front Range has naturally occurring uranium in the underlying rock. This seems to be a common characteristic of mountainous up thrusts throughout the world. Our water supplies come from aquifers fed by infiltration from rain and snow in the mountains. In theory this infiltrated water has followed the same underground rock fissures for eons, and the water has leached out the mineral deposits in its paths. When mining uses explosives to fracture the rock it creates new pathways for the infiltrated water and new exposures to heavy metals in its path. If the water becomes contaminated with heavy metals this creates a new and tremendously difficult problem mitigation problem for the water supply. Hitch Rack Ranch is so close and so similar to The Pinions of Turkey Ranch that it seems very probable that mining there will create the same conditions as those found at The Pinions of Turkey Ca/ion Ranch. It seems prudent that the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety prior to approving this operation should require Transit Mix Concrete Company to conduct a study to prove that their proposed operation will not expose the water supply to any possible contamination by heavy metals. They should also assume the responsibility for mitigating an contamination of the water supply, should it occur. Respectfu Paul Reinsma, P.E. 15515 Cala Rojo Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80926