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Your Phone Number* <br /> Used only to follow up. <br /> 7196715341 <br /> Extension <br /> 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 /> as specific as possioi(, _J <br /> Comment/Objection Narrative <br /> This comment outlines my support of the Dawson Gold Mine project,operated by Zephyr Gold USA, Ltd <br /> ("Zephyr"),in Fremont County. <br /> Full disclosure: I work for the State Land Board.Zephyr has a lease with the State Land Board which may,at <br /> some point, be included as part of this or another mining operation. I receive no benefit whether this project <br /> moves forward or not,and I am not in any decision making role regarding Zephyr's State Land Board lease. <br /> The lease with the State Land Board is not involved with the current permit application. My comments here are <br /> submitted as a resident of Canon City and Fremont County only and should not be construed as representative <br /> of any position of the State Land Board. <br /> Canon City is my hometown-I'm a graduate of Canon City High School,and my family continues to reside and <br /> work here.The Dawson Gold Mine project offers a new opportunity for employment in the community with high <br /> paying jobs,severance tax generation for both the local community and the state,as well as a local source for a <br /> valuable mineral resource that is used in a variety of items used everyday-and may play an important role in <br /> the coming transition from fossil fuels to a renewables-based energy world. <br /> Canon City sits in a unique position regarding employment because we have mining operations existing in <br /> Fremont County as well as neighboring counties,so there is a pool of potential employees that already exist in <br /> this area.The possibility of higher wage jobs without the commute to places like Cripple Creek or even Lake <br /> County would be a positive outcome for Fremont County. If the employees of the mine commuted in,they would <br /> generate additional income for Fremont County when they stopped for a meal,filled up their gas tank,or picked <br /> up groceries on their way home. Canon City is an attractive place to live-and I think could entice employees of <br /> the mine to move here,generating additional tax revenue to the city and county and spending their salaries in <br /> town.Critics of this project indicate that it is unlikely employees would be from the local community so that is a <br /> reason to deny the permit-but there is no reason to think someone from the local community might not benefit <br /> from the job opportunity,or that the job opportunities brought by the mine wouldn't bring new industries to the <br /> area where local residents would benefit more directly. <br /> Many people I've spoken with do not understand that a tax is generated on the extraction of nonrenewable <br /> minerals in the state-the severance tax.This tax returns funds to the local community as well as the state. <br /> Beyond the payment of services to local companies,there is a share of proceeds that the community will be <br /> entitled to from the extraction and sale of the gold (and potentially other minerals found).Critics of this project <br /> indicate that only a small number of people will financially benefit from this project,which is not true.There is a <br /> mechanism in place where the community will receive revenue from the mineral extraction with the potential for <br /> additional revenues from property taxes(as this permit application is located on private property)and additional <br />