2020-10-06_PERMIT FILE - M2020041

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RECEIVED Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety ocr o a 2020 1313 Sherman St. DIVISION OF RECLAMATION Denver, CO 80203 MINING AND SAFETY RE: Application by Peak Ranch Resource (File No. M2020041 ) To whom it may concern, I am writing to seek Party status to testify about the above-mentioned application by Peak Materials to establish a gravel mining operation at the site designated as Peak Ranch Resource. I am specifically aggrieved by this proposed project for the following reasons: My uncle Harold Tonn, bought the Blue River Ranches on the Lower Blue in 1954. Since then my parents and our families have been coming to the ranch to help with haying and eventually we acquired a portion of the ranch to build a Bereuter family house in 1987, when the ranch was sold. We own 37 acres at the intersection of Highway 9 and CO25 - 39932. Over the years the family got to know the longtime family ranchers, the Knorrs, Culbreaths, Longs, and Palmers. These longtime residents understood the importance of the environment and they and others have utilized conservancy agreements to preserve the character and nature of the lower blue. As the years have gone by, it was realized that the Lower Blue was distinctly different than the Upper Blue. This area was real ranch land and had not been affected by the mining industry — no pits, tailings, or placers. It was and has remained working ranch land encased by the Rockies. There are a few residential developments, but no condos, discount malls, or commercial buildings. There is no commercial zoning or industrial zoning in this area. It is beautiful Colorado as it has been for decades and this uniqueness is a great asset to the attractiveness of Summit County. The Lower Blue is an area were the tourists can see ranchers working on their irrigation ditches, see the haying process, see their horses and cattle being fed hay in the winter, seeing a moose make its way through the willows,