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is a well-established fact that Lake County and Leadville has a very long, and well established history in <br /> the mining industry and has remained active in the mining industry since the 1800's. The scenic by-way <br /> photo tour that the Colorado Department of Transportation uses to advertise the value of the Top of the <br /> Rockies tour features photos of Climax Mine itself. Mining operations and the scenic by-way are clearly <br /> compatible. <br /> The proposed pit is small in scale compared to an operation like Climax,and is located down in the <br /> valley, away from the mountain top views that this area is principally known for. Furthermore,the <br /> choice of using the word pristine to describe the area is inaccurate. By definition pristine refers to an <br /> area that has not been altered in any way. There are many wilderness areas in our state which do meet <br /> the definition of pristine. However a valley with a state highway running through it, an extremely large <br /> mine located at the head of it, and existing development along most of the road does not constitute <br /> pristine. <br /> Item 3. "1 cannot imagine that establishing a gravel/concrete/asphalt <br /> operation with just a few yards of the river would not have a negative effect of the <br /> River. This should not be allowed." <br /> The objector fails to articulate a specific concern of theirs regarding the mine and its presence near the <br /> Arkansas River. As DRMS is aware, construction materials extraction happens along and near rivers <br /> throughout Colorado.That very extraction occurs daily without any environmental impacts to those very <br /> rivers. DRMS rules require the operator to protect the prevailing hydrologic balance and the area water <br /> quality.The application that Schofield has submitted to your office outlines specific controls that <br /> address those very topics in a manner that Schofield believes is sufficient.This includes the protection of <br /> river integrity, pollution prevention, and best management practices that have been proven to ensure <br /> the safe and healthy operation of sand and gravel pits all along Colorado's Rivers. <br /> If you have further questions regarding our application, please feel free to contact us. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> AAA- <br /> Levi Schofield <br /> President <br /> Schofield Excavation, Inc. <br />