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• `III IIIIIIIIIIIIiIII • <br />Store <br />Piecemakers° <br />1720 Adams Avenue, Costa Mesa, California 92626 USA <br />Phone: (714) 641-3112 Fax: (714) 641-2~3 <br />Email: mail®piecemakers.com ~~_ <br />Wally Erickson <br />Division of Minerals and Geology <br />Durango Field Office <br />701 Camino del Rio Room 125 <br />Durango, CO 81301 <br />Mr. Erickson, <br />d <br />OFF ~~~ <br />Received <br />NOV 0 g 2U01 <br />[~' <br />~n B °t Minef~ Oqi~ <br />~'d.j~ti~v ~,`ta~.r"~'~Y~Mi~ej~~' "' BGeo%gy <br />e~. ~~~' ZMk' Gravel P,t October 26, 2001 <br />When we purchased the land at 18432 US Highway 550, in Ridgway, CO., in 1992 it was pristine, <br />one of the most beautiful pieces of God's country any of us had ever seen. We immediately felt a deep <br />sense of responsibility to respect the land, wildlife and general atmosphere of this majestic gift from God. <br />As caretakers we put up no hunting signs, began to clean the debris left by previous "caretakers", <br />planted trees, and kept the peace. With this spirit over the property herds of elk and deer grazed in the <br />pastures, tended their young and felt safe; eagles graced the tops of the cottonwoods with only the sound <br />of the magpies for harmony. This would also be a place for friends, family and our congregation to <br />escape their hectic lives long enough to refresh, repair and replenish their spirits. All this is gone. <br />We are writing to make you aware of the destruction taking place on the Uncompahgre River. <br />The ZMK Gravel Pit has a permit from you, #M -1991-146, giving them permission to do "in stream <br />mining". The constant noise from the big machines have kept the deer and the elk away. If we see one or <br />two of these precious creatures a season we thank God for it. The biggest brown trout caught in Colo- <br />rado in 1992 was caught not a half mile down stream from our property; now a trout couldri t traverse <br />the river to get down stream. Our visitors cari t take the noise, dust and ugliness of the gravel pit, so <br />they leave unrefreshed and they don't come back. <br />We understand that you had an inspector at the site in February 2001, and that he gave his ap- <br />proval to the work. It is disgusting that someone could look at the destruction and not be moved to tears. <br />It is time to take another look. Look with common sense; look with the responsibility we have to coexist <br />with nature; look with the future in mind; look with the neighbors in mind, look beyond the law; look <br />beyond compliance; look to your spirit. <br />You have the opportunity to stop this horrible practice of destroying nature for profit. Do not <br />believe the lie that the gravel pit is doing the river and mankind a service. There are millions of laws -- <br />help us find ONE that stops this despicable destruction of God's creation. Please prove to me that there is <br />something good ' 'our Government. <br />f~ <br />J~ <br />Doug ollette <br />Piecemakers <br />