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0 0 <br />Citizen Interests <br />For Chase who do find [hat they are aiv~oved by surface mining, <br />and cannot help .but be annoyed by surface mining, the following is <br />a sincere discussion that they will hopefully find of some <br />consolation, and that may even Iead the vay to a reconciliation <br />with that annoyance. <br />Certainly as far as the the airblast lirtitations are concerned, <br />annoyance was very definitely considered when the regulations were <br />written. The airblast allowed by OSI~42E is less than half the level <br />allowed by OSHA for impulsive noise. Except in emergencies, or when <br />specifically approved by the Regulatory Authority, as already <br />discussed, no blasting is allowed at night, and the published <br />schedules and notification system ensure that people are not taken <br />by surprise or startled by the blasting. <br />Ground vibration presents a rather more difficult problem where <br />annoyance is concerned, since humans are so sensitive, and can <br />perceive - and be annoyed by - remarkably low, though certainly not <br />damaging, levels of vibration. In order that explosives be used <br />efficiently as a tool for breaking rock, it is sometimes necessary <br />to generate vibrations that not only can be distinctly felt, but <br />that some people might find find highly annoying. These can be <br />perfectly legal levels, within OSMRE regulatory limits, and quite <br />safe, presenting absolutely no risk of damage. Nevertheless, for <br />many people, they can, and do, annoy. <br />A possible solution co the problgn lies in efforts to establish <br />and maintain good relations between the citizen and the mine <br />operator. It is normal, of course, for the operator to promote such <br />relations, but in order for the maximum r~utual benefit to be <br />derived from such efforts, the citizen sheuid attempt to extend his <br />own hand no matter how difficult this may at first seem co be. Sn <br />unbiased attempt to achieve mutual understanding is often a good <br />first step. <br />Understanding that the viewpoint of the operator is goin; to be <br />significantly different than that of the citizen, and that this <br />does not automatically signify an adversary situation, is a <br />considerable step towards achieving good mine operator and citizen <br />relations. Whereas it is sometimes the case that the citizen feels <br />forced into an adversary Situation by the mine, it can be chat the <br />mine, or at least soma of its personnel, can feel precisely the <br />same pressures. While the citizen feels that the mine threatens his <br />peace, his errvironment, his residence, and his quality of life, the <br />mine personnel can also feel threatened by citizen complaints, <br />which seem to jeopardize [heir very livelihoods. If the accounts <br />that they make of the same situation might be widely disparate, 2nd <br />would seem to prove that one or the other just cannot be telling <br />the truth, patience and understanding nay well show that this is <br />not the case: both are being entirely truthful by their own lights. <br /> <br />L~ <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />t~ <br /> <br />11A <br />