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August 24, 2021 <br /> Page 4 <br /> that the new crusher facility and doubling the permitted crushing capacity on the Applicant's <br /> property could destabilize the Tailings Storage Facility. See JVA Memo. <br /> As explained in the JVA Memo, the District is under a compliance schedule to reduce <br /> inflow and infiltration into its collection system. The increased seismic activity nearby could also <br /> affect the District's efforts to reduce inflow and infiltration. Damage to the collection system <br /> could result in seepage of wastewater into the ground. <br /> Again, the most recent analysis on geotechnical stability dates from 2011, a decade ago <br /> and well before the Applicant's recent proposal to increase the size of its operations. Application, <br /> Appendices 22-5 and 22-6. <br /> Access Agreement <br /> The District understands that the Applicant does not have access to its property for the <br /> operations that it plans. As shown in Figures 3-1 and 3-2 in the Application, Al Phillips owns the <br /> strip of land between the Applicant's property and Highway 24. He previously gave permission <br /> orally to the Applicant's predecessor allowing access but told the Applicant that he would allow <br /> access across his land only for 200 tons of material (not 200 tons per day). The fact that the <br /> Applicant does not have legal access to its property for the expansion of operations is an another <br /> reason the permit conversion should be denied. <br /> In addition, the Applicant does not have permission from the Colorado Department of <br /> Transportation to truck 400 tons per day of ore into its property. For so much truck traffic it may <br /> be necessary to install a deceleration lane on Highway 24, which may have to be built on Mr. <br /> Phillips's land. He objects to the taking of his land for such construction. <br /> Financial Warranty <br /> Under Rule 1.11.2 of the Mined Land Reclamation Board, "[a]ll warranty and permit <br /> processing requirements shall apply as though the Conversion application were a new permit <br /> application." The Applicant has not demonstrated in its Application that the amount of the <br /> financial warranty will be sufficient to cover reclamation, especially if there is leakage or other <br /> problems at the facility. <br /> Rule 4.2.3 provides that "[t]he conversion of any 110 Permit into any 112 Permit shall <br /> require a Financial Warranty in an amount equal to the estimated cost of reclamation." In Section <br /> 12.1 of the Application the Applicant estimates that reclamation will cost$77,258,but in Appendix <br /> 12-1 it estimates the total reclamation cost to be$85,636 and leaves a blank for the cost for cyanide <br /> and"OTHERS?"for monitoring wells. Regardless of which of these numbers is the one proposed, <br /> anything under$100,000 seems wildly optimistic for reclaiming a major milling site and ensuring <br /> that the District and other neighbors will not be stuck with paying for any environmental damage <br />