2016-04-18_PERMIT FILE - M2016010 (12)

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(micrometers) can travel many hundreds of miles and is responsible for much of Denver's Brown Cloud (http://www.fcgov.com/airquality/particulate-matter.php.)The strong winds in this area will help carry the particles over greater distances • This is a health issue for the abutting and nearby residential homeowners and their livestock. My sister uses an oxygen concentrator to breathe and she stays with me 4-5 months every year. If this is approved, will the concentrated oxygen she breathes contain silica and affect her breathing even more? I didn't see any data included in their permit application concerning silica exposure for people who live near quarries, or baseline air quality studies for this area. Although there are reports on water, wildlife, soils and vegetation, I didn't see any data at all concerning human studies, especially the effects on those who have asthma or COPD. While they may use water to mitigate the dust while mining,the water will dry,the silica dust will remain, and the high winds will blow it great distances.This may affect the health of humans, pets,and livestock; cover the interior of our homes;deplete nutrients in the soil;and create a haze over the natural beauty of our area,as well as extend the effects of their mining throughout El Paso County. • The proposed quarry will increase truck traffic by approximately 624 trucks per day, in addition to the existing truck traffic from the three operating quarries.These trucks will have to travel over several older bridges that may not be capable of handling the additional traffic and may affect their limited lifespans. The increased number of trucks will also create traffic hazards detrimental to the safety of El Paso County residents. When there is an accident on Hwy. 115,the road is often closed in one or both directions for an extended period of time, and individual lives come to a complete standstill. Medical emergencies may be affected if the road is impassable. The increase of approximately 18,720 trucks on the road, per month, will increase accident potential. Safety issues will also affect the bicyclist and motor bike clubs and individual "bikers" who use the 115 Southwestern Corridor as a major thoroughfare due to the area's geographic and aesthetic appeal. • The Bauer Ranch and Eagle's Nest neighborhoods have one entrance and one exit rendering them land locked in the event of fire,traffic accident, blasting accident, landslides due to blasting, etc. • At the present time, there are 3 existing quarries within an 8-mile radius;these quarries are currently operating at half their capacity.Transit Mix would like us to believe that Colorado Springs and El Paso County could not function without the addition of the Hitch Rack Quarry. However, IF there were so much demand for aggregates in El Paso County,the existing quarries would already be operating at full capacity. A better plan, and a plan that would have less impact to the community and surrounding areas, would be to expand the existing quarries.... if more aggregate than is being produced is ever needed. Refusing to add an unnecessary additional quarry would also be consistent with our Master Plan: Southwestern/Highway 115 Comprehensive Plan. • Wildlife, wildlife habitats, wildlife migratory paths and biodiversity will be lost.The proposed quarry site could also be in violation of the Federal and State Endangered Species Act. While reclamation is the goal, it may not be possible to"put Humpty Dumpty back together again" after 50 years of abuse and depletion....and then what???? • As a native of New Orleans, I can't help but question TMC's level of commitment to this project when their safety plans include hurricanes! I don't feel like they customized their research to apply only to this project, but dealt in generalizations. I wonder if this carried over to other aspects of the details they provided, and if they were not as conscientious about this as they should be.