2002-02-07_REVISION - M1976020 (7)

Home Browse Search

11. La Plata County Impacts and Environmental Impacts River mining has not resumed as of 2002 but a plan is being discussed with the US Army Corps of En- gineers, La Plata County and the DMG. It is hopeful that the revised plan to be formulated in the latter part of 2002 will resolve all of the past issues with river harvesting of gravel from this site. Allowing the one time excavation of the lake will have little impact for the County. The 122,000 cubic yards of raw gravel will be hauled directly from the site to be processed at the Four Comers processing plant at Trimble Lane, which is located approximately 4 miles to the south along Highway 550. For the two month period that the gravel is being hauled, there will be an increase of 10 yazd truck traffic on the road. This traffic is expected to be 254 trucks per 10 hour day, up to 6 days per week for two months. As described in the above mining plan, the jetty and the embankment protection have been designed to be permanent and not affect the river upstream, downstream or east of the proposed structures. The Thomas Pit will be reclaimed to part irrigated pasture, pazt commercial site, and part wildlife habi- tat, considering the lake, the river and the river embankment. Four Corners will work closely with Divi- sion of Wildlife, the County, the DMG and [he COE to ensure that the reclamation plan is the best pos- sible for all considerations involved.. Portable sanitation facilities will be provided to all workers at the minesite. The waste will be taken off site for treatment in an approved facility. There will be no leach fields or other means of sewage dis- posal. There will be no new demands on La Plata County services from the new lake extraction operation as well as the river operation when it is resumed. This gravel pit has been in place for many years and has a use by right status in the Recreation A Zone of La Plata County. Thomas Pit 2/02 24