Laserfiche WebLink
1 <br /> LETTER TO DRMS REGARDING RECLAMATION OF THE KIRTRIGHT PIT <br /> Version: 6-10-2024, by Linda O'Brien <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> On September 20, 2023, 1 attended a hearing before the DRMS Board where the Board found <br /> that Coulsons had mined outside of their pit boundaries, imposed a penalty of $200,000 (with <br /> all but $4,783.20 suspended), and ordered Coulsons to submit a proposed permit amendment <br /> that only updated the reclamation plan. Coulsons did not submit any proposed amendment <br /> until February 27, 2024, nearly five months after the DRMS Board Hearing. And even though <br /> Coulsons are experienced operators of a large mining company, both their first proposed <br /> amendment application and their second proposal (submitted May 6, 2024) failed to comply <br /> with various DRMS rules and regulations as indicated by two different incompleteness notices <br /> that DRMS had to send out. As a result, it has been well over eight months since the DRMS <br /> Board Hearing, and Coulsons still have not submitted anything that can be considered a <br /> complete amendment application, and Coulsons still have not complied with the Board's <br /> order. <br /> As I understand it, since their application is not considered filed yet, Coulsons should be <br /> submitting revisions following DRMS's Second Incompleteness Notice and no deadline for <br /> objections has even been established yet. But since my home basically sits in the middle of <br /> the Kirtright Pit, I write to try to express my frustrations with the lack of progress and to try to <br /> explain the impact of Coulsons' actions upon our family. But since more revisions are coming, <br /> I reserve the right to amend and supplement the following objections and comments. <br /> EXPECTATIONS OF LAND OWNERS FOR FINISHING THE KIRTRIGHT PIT <br /> As a homeowner and owner of the O'Brien part of the Kirtright Pit, I am relying on DRMS and <br /> Larimer County to adequately oversee the revised reclamation plan. As with all property <br /> owners, we need to feel safe from routine flooding and be able to use the property as <br /> promised in the original plan for pasture and wildlife (not the newly introduced <br /> industrial/commercial). But the land engineer I have had to hire is not convinced the current <br /> plan will keep routine, damaging floodwaters from infiltrating the O'Brien property. <br />