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Alternate Phone Number <br /> Used only to follow up. <br /> Alternate Phone Extension <br /> Connection to Operation <br /> Select all that apply <br /> Land Owner of affected land Structure Owner within 200' of affected land <br /> Mineral Owner Nearby Resident <br /> Adjacent Land Owner Concerned Citizen <br /> Government Agency Other <br /> DESCRIPTION OF COMMENT OR OBJECTION <br /> (Please be as specific as possible) <br /> Comment/Objection Narrative <br /> I object to the proposed Dawson Gold Mine put forth by Zephyr Gold USA Ltd.Zephyr Minerals.The parent <br /> organization, is a Canadian public company based in Nova Scotia.While they do rent some space in Canon <br /> City,they have no roots or facilities in Colorado or anywhere in the USA.Any money they might ultimately make <br /> will be returned to Canada.They were formed in 2012 for the sole purpose of exploring minerals in our area(so <br /> most of the homes in the area were built before Zephyr Minerals even existed).There will be no benefit to <br /> Canon City or Fremont County. <br /> On September 25,2018 Zephyr sent the following message:"We are advised by Counsel that given the threat <br /> of pending legal action against Zephyr Minerals Ltd. ("Zephyr"or the"Company"),that the Company will not be <br /> hosting any further information sessions other than those specific to the requirements of any permit <br /> applications".Why is Zephyr not allowing public input?Why would Zephyr not want to share information as a <br /> good neighbor? <br /> Why has Zephyr avoided any environmental impact assessments,and done exploration in the Grape Creek <br /> area which has"two protective federal designations,the Grape Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern <br /> (ACEC), identified in the BLM's 1996 Royal Gorge Field Office Resource Management Plan(RMP),and the <br /> Lower Grape Creek Wilderness Study Area(WSA)?"They appear to want to avoid a thorough evaluation of <br /> their operations. <br /> Furthermore,the location of the proposed mine is approximately 4 miles southwest of downtown Canon City, <br /> 1.5 miles from Carson City Limits,and 1.3 miles from Grape Creek.This is unacceptable as the propensity for <br /> toxic waste and water pollution will harm residents of Canon City and surrounding rural areas. <br /> Also,Zephyr has expanded their holdings,changed the minerals being investigated,and changed their <br /> proposed mining techniques since being formed.While change is typical, no one knows what the next revision <br /> will be,and no one local is being informed, involved,or educated.Change just happens regardless of the <br /> community input. For example,on February 21,2020 Zephyr announced: "Zephyr Minerals Ltd.continues to <br /> advance its 100%owned high grade Dawson-Green Mountain Project in Colorado, USA.After expanding its <br /> land package to 1,385 hectares(3,430 acres)the Company plans to explore the entire 12.2 km(7.5 mi) <br /> mineralized trend using the Broken Hill Type deposit as an exploration model."Change is likely to occur again. <br /> Will it be in favor of Zephyr or will the community and area be a primary concern? <br /> The mine site at 6,500 feet elevation is 1,000 feet higher elevation than Grape Creek and the Arkansas river. It <br /> is upstream from the water plant intake for Fremont County.Any discharge from mining operations will find its <br /> way to the aquifers underground and/or the water flows.The mining operation would use approximately <br /> 65,000,000 gallons of water per year and an unspecified amount of chemicals.With the site just 1,000 feet <br /> above the Grape Creek and Arkansas River area,this creates the potential for pollution of the water for present <br /> and future generations.The demand on underground aquifers has been estimated in the permit as <br /> "insignificant"but there is no monitoring or measures to be sure that the demand is having an"insignificant" <br /> impact. <br /> Zephyr claims:"Not a single forest fire in the USA has been traced back to or been attributed to a modern <br /> mining operation."and"The mine operation will manage process water and storm water.The mill process water <br /> will flow through a closed recycling system with very little discharge if any."How many unexpected disasters <br /> have resulted from mining?It is certainly possible that the proposed Dawson Gold Mine could be yet another <br /> disaster in the making. <br /> As regards fire risks,the permit is non-specific in the amount of water reserved for fire mitigation. It states <br /> "sufficient."There is no Fire Protection plan associated with the current application. How could government <br />