2018-05-14_PERMIT FILE - M1996060

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U �V Hall -Irwin Aggregates, LLC 301 Centennial Drive Milliken, Colorado 80543 May 8, 2018 Mr. Eric C. Scott, Environmental Protection Specialist MAY 14 2018 Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety DMSION OF RECLAMATION 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 DINING AND SAMY Denver, Colorado 80203 Re: M1996-060 Firestien Resources Notice of Change in Ownership and Expected Changes in Reclamation Plan Dear Mr. Scott: As we have discussed, we are in the process of closing out the Firestien Resources mining permit. The site consists of three parcels—Firestien, Tigges and Roberts. Operations ended in July 2017, and reclamation is well underway. We have a unique situation developing with the Firestien parcel that will change the future use of that parcel, and I would like your input on we should proceed. Immediately south of the Firestien parcel is the Poudre Learning Center. The Center is situated on a 65 acre reclaimed mine parcel that was donated to the Center by Hall -Irwin in 2004. The Center opened its doors in 2005, and provides outdoor ecology programs to numerous Weld County school Districts. The Center has become the premier hands-on environmental educational center in northern Colorado, hosting over 32,000 visitors a year. It is also the home of the new InSTEM Station on the Prairie, a 7,200 sq. ft. learning center that celebrated its grand opening last month. In December, George and Betty Hall donated the Firestien parcel to the Center, to enable the Center to grow and expand their agricultural education mission along the Poudre River. The Firestien parcel triples the size of the Poudre Learning Center. Changes in Reclamation Hall -Irwin has provided funding so that the Center can hire a planning consultant, Consilium Designs, to prepare preliminary and long-range plans for the property. The Center has hosted two community planning meetings as part of this process. The Center is evaluating adding an archery range, camp sites, educational buildings, maintenance shop, eagle nesting site, an observation deck, farm land, pedestrian trails and additional parking areas. The Center also intends to use portions of the property as a hands-on outdoor laboratory. The vision for this property is described in the March 7, 2018, letter from Bob Williams of the Greeley -Evans Weld County School District 6. The Center would like Hall -Irwin to leave the property in what DRMS may consider to be an unfinished condition, so that the Center can work with student groups to design the activity areas, select appropriate plants and participate in the work that goes into establishing stable and usable spaces. Are you available to meet with me so I can show you the preliminary plans and hear your thoughts about the revisions that we will need to make to our plan in order to accommodate the Center's uses? HALL -I 1N A GREGA Bret Hall, Manager Enclosure