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r, w April 5, 2001 Mr. Wallace Erickson Division of Mining and Geology 701 Camino Del Rio Durango, CO 81301 III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ~ A R~~e'~~or PR ~ `~ ~ Leslie M. Sesler Dusan u ~ Fiely o/ Timo O Box 993e~ Mrnef~ 8 Ge e Dolores, Co. 81323 ~~~ ~~fl~~iT? ~ F/~~,~ ~P~~ c~~ 06,l~'~'< <~oo '°o Y .Oh ~/~e<~.T Re: Public Comment on Applicant's Amendment to the Line Camp Pit Application M-2001-001. Deaz Mr. Erickson: We have reviewed the amended reclamation plan for the Line Camp Pit and wish to enter the following comments into the public record. On page 4 of the new application, under Description of Amendment or Conversion, it states that "the boundary of the permit and affected azea was changed to include areas deemed to be affected land in support of the mining operation". It is assumed that this refers to the areas added to encompass the access road and the discharge pipe, as per the revised Map C-1 on Exhibit page 4. Yet, these developments aze still treated in the application as if their construction is for some other purpose, and use by the proposed gravel operation is merely incidental. On exhibit page 8, it states that "prior to mining being conducted, existing road access and drainage will be improved, replaced or supplemented". But since these structures do not exist, they will need to be constructed, not simply improved, replaced or supplemented. If these structures are needed in support of the mining operation, as is stated in the Description of the Amendment, shouldn't their construction be included as part of the mining operation? Exhibit Page 14, Surface Water Management, second paragraph, last sentence. This states that regulation of discharge temperature may be required to protect the cold- waterfishery. If water temperature is too warm to be discharged, what will be the process to cool the water? How will it be monitored? Exhibit Page 16, Compliance with Reclamation Standards The first paragraph states that there is no reason to believe that toxic oracid-forming, or toxic producing materials are found on the site, but there is no study or scientific data cited to support this assumption. And there is good reason to believe that alluvial gravels might contain toxic heavy metals, particularly mercury. Fish in McPhee Reservoir, located downstream from the proposed pit on the Dolores river aze highly contaminated with mercury. Mercury accumulates in fish via the food chain, with the original uptake of mercury likely occurring in organisms feeding on the lake bottom.