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One of the reasons eastern Pueblo County is such a good farming area is because of the <br /> quality of the water in the Bessemer Ditch. Any level of erosive run-off entering the ditch <br /> and impacting water quality would be unacceptable. Likewise, seepage from the ditch into <br /> gravel pits would also constitute an injury to our senior water rights. <br /> Finally,there is naturally occurring listeria and anthrax buried in the Badger Hills. Once the <br /> grama grass is disturbed,there will be no practical way to contain these pathogens.As a <br /> food-producing agricultural community,this is cause for major concern.The federal Food <br /> Safety and Modernization act went into effect in 2016 and it raises the standards of care <br /> and prevention to avoid food contamination incidents. Gravel mining could expose our <br /> business and customers to life-threatening illnesses. <br /> Given the agricultural sensitivity of the proposed project, I sincerely hope that the Division <br /> of Reclamation, Mining and Safety will use all available agricultural and water resources <br /> and expertise of the State of Colorado to carefully evaluate this application. <br /> If a permit is granted to Freemont Paving and Redi-Mix, Inc it will place all the risk and <br /> burden of short, medium, and long term damages squarely on the shoulders of the farming <br /> community. Short-term economic benefits for a private company,its employees, and <br /> customers is simply not worth compromising the viability and future of food production in <br /> eastern Pueblo County. Please reject this permit. <br /> Thank you. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Daniel G. Hobbs, Owner/Operator, Hobbs Family Farm <br /> Exhibit A: Photo of Avondale Flood 5.15.15 <br /> Exhibit B: Farmer Letter to Pueblo County Commissioners 7.22.16 <br />