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y ~ • <br />• <br />Item 3: Seismic Activity/Geological Hazard Area <br />There are loose boulders above the land to be affected <br />and my cabin. The slope of the land is 20 to 65 percent. <br />About one mile below the cabin, there is a major slide area <br />in the same geological formation. <br />Normally, I realize, blasting is well controlled in an <br />underground mining operation. However, mistakes occur even <br />in the most proficient operation. Seismic activity has been <br />well defined in many geological formations, but anomalies do <br />occur as indicated by seismometer readings around surface <br />mines where zero readings are recorded near at hand but at <br />distances up to a mile and more, readings are recorded and <br />houses are subjected to tremors which break windows, knock <br />over furniture, etc. <br />Such anomalies may be present in this formation which I <br />believe should also be considered a Geologic Hazard Area <br />according to the criteria outlined in House Bill 1041, the <br />Colorado Land Use Act of 1974. If such anomalies do occur <br />and if a Sunflower Energy Corporation employee should be <br />overzealous with one or more blasting charges, loose bould- <br />ers and even the whole hillside to the east of the proposed <br />portal and my cabin could come raining down upon my land. <br />This is especially true during the spring thaw when the <br />heavy clay soils in the area are full of water and subside <br />with the least provocation. <br />Item 4: Fire <br />There are two aspects in this category -- surface and <br />subsurface fire. <br />Surface Fire: What protection does an adjacent land- <br />owner have in case of fire? Oak brush stands can be con- <br />sidered chaparral. Even the least observant person may <br />discern the large amount of fuel built up under the oak <br />brush stands that dominate this land. Due to the topography <br />and V-valley system, up-and down-valley winds are strong. <br />If a fire should start under dry conditions with high winds, <br />the water and personnel available could not control it. <br />Subsurface Fire: The ridge to the east is called Fire <br />Mountain. When United States Steel put in its new portal <br />and fans one mile downvalley from my cabin 6 years ago, it <br />could not control the coal fire that resulted for over 6 <br />months. Any new fracture in this geologic system can allow <br />air to flow into hot spots and cause more coal fires. This <br />could be considered another form of geological hazard. <br />