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OJ/18/00 Tgtt 19:28 FA3 JOJ 7820J90 CDPI~/WpCD <br />- -Duni~l o Anson II f]0]) 54n-uigi <br />~~ <br />,,.,.,,....~. .._.__.... --- r~1002 <br />Alliance For Responsible Mining <br />PO Box 1515, Alamosa, CO 81101 <br />{719) 274-0322 E-mail: sagrado~vanion.com <br />3/14/00 <br />Senator Gigi Dennis Fax (303) 666-3807 <br />Dear Senator Dennis: <br />Thank you for responding to my inquiry regarding the efforts of the Alliance for <br />Responsible Mining (ARM) to prohibit open pit cyanide gold mining in Colorado. <br />Please allow me to clarity some of the issues in hopes of convincing you that we are <br />not anti-mining and that cyanide open pit gold mining is a failed technology. <br />1. The mining Industry cannot point to a single open pit cyanide leach gold mine <br />that has operated and been closed for any significant amount of time which has not <br />caused water quality problems associated with either cyanide or acid mine drainage. <br />Battle Mountain Gold's San Luis project was supposed to be the industry's poster child <br />to show that open pit cyanide gold mining can be done without mishap. This same <br />mine received the largest fine ever for a pollution discharge in Colorado. Over the past <br />year, another leak has been polluting a creek which leads into the oldest water right in <br />Colorado, the "People's Ditch" and local ranchers have todl us they bellev~ these <br />problems have destroyed Their private wells. It appears that this problem may require <br />perpetual water treatment costing millions of dollars, just like Summitville (now at <br />160.000,000 taxpayer dollars and growing). <br />2. The EPA's Toxic Release Inventory has exempted the mining industry in the <br />past, but no more. When the statistics are released later this month, hardrack mines <br />are expected to hit the top of the list of toxic polluters in every western mining state. <br />3. We are not an environmental organization out to hurt industry. The BOD of <br />ARM consists of conservative Republicans, ranchers, retired miners and a physician. <br />4. The only open pit cyanide gold mine in Colorado currently active Is the Victor/ <br />Cripple Creek Gold mine. They treat over 12,000,000 tons of earth per year and under <br />existing permits, will be able to continue for the next five years. If they are granted their <br />revised permits, they could go on for decades. <br />5. A recent poll conducted by professional pollsters Rldder-Braden of Denver <br />revealed that 72% of Coloradans would definitely or probably vote for this initiative it <br />the vote were held today. <br />6. The existing stockpiles of gold held by the US government alone are <br />adequate to meet the gold demands for essential industries for centuries. There is no <br />need to extract so little product at the cost of so much waste. <br />Other mining methods would not be impacted by this initiative. I can verity my <br />facts. Is poisoning western slope water any less important than Gary Boyce's plans to <br />pump it out of the San Luis Valley? The board would love to meet with you to discuss <br />these issues. <br />Thank you again for taking time to review these issues which are so important to <br />us and we took forward to hearing from you. <br />ARM field coordinator <br />