2018-04-23_PERMIT FILE - M2008017

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To whom it may concern, RECEWED APR 2 3 2018 DIVISION OF RECLAMATION MINING AND SAFETy I wish to express my extreme opposition to the proposed construction -material reclamation and mining project in the agriculturally zoned Derr Pit, located ator nearSection 4, Township 5, Range 65 West of the 61 Prime Meridian (Weld County PlanningServicescase#1MUSR16-08-1660). The project is proposed by Broken Arrow Investments, LLC. (8018" Street, Suite 130, Greelev. C080631). and itwould involve the grinding of reclaimed concrete and asphalt forthe next 15 years (June, 2018 and until December, 2033) in agricultural zoningwithin less than 100 feet of multiple occupied homes. In the interest of protectingthe public, I imploreyou to oppose the proposed reclamation from being carried out because of the severe harm that the mining effortwill inevitably cause to human health, quality of life. and livestock. My chief concern isthat the process of grinding concrete produces and releases large quantities of fine silica dust particles. Breathing in this silica dust can result in dangerous, irreversible, untreatable, and possibly fatal diseases. The fine silica particles penetrate deep into the lungs where they can cause silicosis, Iung cancer, tuberculosis, and COPD, and silica exposure has been linked to renal disease and other cancers. Each and every particle of silica to which one is exposed i ncreases the total load of silica in the lungs, and thus regul ar exposure compounds an individual's Iungdamage. Damage can be also be caused without longterm exposure. As you might imagine, living fora proposed 15 years just literally paces from a large-scale source ofsilica dustfeels like a death sentence. My concerns are worsened because of the detrimental effects to quality of life, health, and I ivestock that we have experienced as a result of the gravel mining operation currently being carried out by Broken Arrow Investments in the Loloff Pit (directly across the streetfrom the Derr Pit). Dust from the pit and trucks coat our homes with such regularity that it accumulates on our lawn and garden plants, and we consequently have to "wash" ourvegetable garden, notto clean the fruit, butto clean dustfrom the leaves. Ourchicken's naresare coated with dustand some are even completely clogged. We must wear surgical masks or handkerchiefs when we do yardworkto be less choked by dust; it has become routine. Ourauto dealership noted thatwe needed to replace the airfilters in ournew vehicle at nearly half the mileage than expected, and this is due to the Loloff Pit's dust. O urhomes need regular vacuuming and dusting more than anywhere I've lived previously; openingwindows let's dust into our home. When I recently sat myfood outside inthe cold while defrosting myfreezer, a layerof dust had accumulated oneverythinginjust3or4 hours. Transient dust is a regular part of our lives, and we have suffered through this patiently with the hope that once operations atthe Loloff Pitstop soon, we will be free of the nightmare. However, we have recently lostthat hope with the prospect of continued mining operations in such close proximityto our home fora further 1S years and the fact that the gri nding of concrete isa much more harmful processthan gravel mining. We are in despair. My wife has asthma and fibromyalgia, and chemicals and dustworsen herfibromyalgia symptoms causing hermore pain. Our senior, widowed friend, Diana, has COPD. I have neededto go to the doctorfor years and have no diagnosis, but I have feltthe effects of the Loloff Pit's duston my respiratory health. I evenfeel it in my chest nowas I write this. My wife and Dianaare particularly vulnerable tothe proposed project atthe Derr Pit, but the detrimental effects itwill have on the health of everyone living nearby are undeniable. Please help us, Brenan Wilson t