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• Eagles Nest has 36 lots and 16 residences west of the quarry. These owners are subject <br /> to the blasting, dust noise, wildlife impacts and potential water impacts and in addition, <br /> they must drive through the quarry daily to access their homes. <br /> • Bauer's Ranch has 13 properties west of the North Pit and the North Pit Extension and <br /> its owners must endure the same impacts as those in Eagle's Nest listed above. <br /> Environmental and Wildlife Impacts—The quarry will significantly impact the area's ecosystem <br /> and especially the unique wildlife Little Turkey Creek and the surrounding land support. As a <br /> resident I can confirm the statements that the deer, elk, bobcats, mountain lions elk, black bear, <br /> coyote, fox, a multitude of small mammals, a large bird population, a wide variety of birds of <br /> prey and a huge wild turkey population thrive and are dependent upon the water, protection and <br /> important and unique migration routes that Little Turkey Creek provides. The quarry plan will <br /> essentially cut off and thus threaten this critical wildlife resource. For context, the Schmidt <br /> Quarry, to the south, has already cut off Big Turkey Creek's ecosystem and migration routes <br /> and thus creates an even greater need to keep the Little Turkey Creek route open and useable. <br /> The State of Colorado, through its Natural Heritage Program has identified this exact area as <br /> having "very high significance" because of its important plant and wildlife communities. It is also <br /> an important part of a unique and small area where the "Peaks to Plains" ecosystems come <br /> together and overlap, which is specifically why The Nature Conservancy and the State of <br /> Colorado have joined in the ownership and management of 1,140 acres of land located <br /> immediately south of the proposed quarry. Per the Nature Conservancy, this area "merits the <br /> highest standards of inventory and protection." <br /> Water - Surface and well water are critical resources which the proposed quarry would <br /> seriously disturb and compromise. In addition to the importance of Little Turkey Creek to the <br /> broader ecosystem and wildlife, it drains a large basin to the west and needs to be able to <br /> handle large storm events. The quarry cannot do this which puts the whole creek basin at risk if <br /> an when storm waters wash through it moving rock and toxins downstream possibly changing <br /> the topography and ecosystem forever. <br /> The permit application hardly mentions or addresses ground water which is also an area of <br /> grave concern because all the residents in the around the mine and in the Highway 115 corridor <br /> use fragile aquifers and wells for their domestic water supply. The quarry sits on or near several <br /> faults and the blasting and mining could have adverse permanent impacts upon the area's <br /> water. Changes to the aquifers, faults, and known connected fractures could devastate the <br /> entire residential area which certainly would not promote its health, safety and general welfare. <br /> Dust, Pollutants and Noise—The blasting and mining of granite and the operation of an on site <br /> crushing operation will create tremendous amounts of dust and noise. This will effect nearby <br /> neighbors who live up and down canyon from the proposed quarry, specifically the residences <br /> living along Little Turkey Creek east and west of quarry and 85 residences in the Red Rock <br /> Valley subdivision. The predominant winds in this area are downslope from the west and <br /> southwest and they will push the dust and noise down Little Turkey Creek and the Deadman <br /> Creek canyons directly onto residents. In addition, northerly and northwesterly winds occur often <br /> with storms and frontal passages and those winds will pick up the dust from the exposed <br />