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other aeeas of the property. The infiltration trench will create a hydraulic barrier for both free phase and dissolved phase contamination. The operation of the trench can be adjusted to either increase or decrease the hydraulic head upgradient of the open pit, depending upon what water level measurements indicate is necessary to maintain the hydraulic barrier. The collection trench within the open pit will effectively recover any low level contamination that may exist downgradient of the trench after gravel mining commences: the anticipated concentrations are orders of magnitudes below the Colorado Dischazge Permit limits issued for the site, and will likely be remediated by aeration during pumping. This activity not only has the benefit of generating funds that can be applied towards the cleanup of other aeeas at the facility, it will also contain/remediate soil and ground water contamination that is known to exist nearby. Our greatest concern is that the imposition of additional monitoring requirements that provide little added benefit will increase FMM's expenditures, taking resources away from other more cost effective remedial efforts (source reduction). The worst case scenario is that the monitoring requirements become so burdensome that it either prevents the cleanup of other areas, or it no longer makes it cost effective to pursue the mining option, potentially killing the deal and thereby eliminating another source of revenue that would go into the cleanup escrow account. If the prospects of cleaning up the site for future redevelopment are dimmed, there is also the potential that FMM may decide that it is no longer worthwhile doing anything with the property. The likelihood of having another property owner come in and cleanup the site if FMM were to abandon it is low. No one benefits from this alternative. Terry is in the process of revising the Waste Management Contingency Plan (WMCP) to address your concerns, as expressed in your letters dated August 19, 2003 and September 24, 2003, and as communicated to us in our recent telephone conference call. Implementation of the revised mining plan as designed, and management and monitoring of contaminated media during mining as required in accordance with the WMCP and the Colorado Dischazge Permit, should allow mining to proceed with little chance of adverse impact. We therefore believe that gravel mining is appropriate for the site, can proceed and be managed in an environmentally sound manner under this revised plan, and that the operations will not only aid the overall cleanup of the refinery, but will be beneficial to the community and the State in general.