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<br />• Wildlife Information. 6.4.8 <br />We find it hard to accept the belief that any lands within the permit application can be <br />suitable wildlife habitat. in reality, the mine, over its entire life, has had a negative <br />impact on local wildlife. This impact has resulted from ineffective reclamation, water <br />quality, water diversion, noise and current rock crushing that can easily be heard 3 <br />miles away. The permit application is very inadequate in documenting the proposed <br />benefits to wildlife by leaving a portion of the permitted area undisturbed. Also, the <br />impact of previously disturbed land which has not been reclaimed and likely never <br />will be, has had a significant and long=tasting impact. We oppose the proposal to re- <br />designate the land to wildlife habitat. The permit has no pre or post wildlife <br />inventories to even measure the current use of the property by wildlife, let alone <br />future use. The Division of Wildlife should comment on the merits of the proposal, <br />including impacts on terrestrial and aquatic habitat. <br />In addition to the above statements, we also are requesting Park County Commissioners <br />to take the following actions: <br />1. Enact aCounty-wide resolution which requires permitting of mineral, rock and gravel <br />extraction. This resolution must give County authority to control impacts that have a <br />significant impact on surrounding property owners and communities. Examples of <br />such progressive resolutions exist, including Boulder, Pitkin and Chaffee counties. <br />Such resolution would not deter from the authority of the Division of Minerals and <br />Geology, but would require the County to administer impacts including noise. Such a . <br />resolution is within the authority of the County and is necessary protection for <br />adjacent lands and will also avoid future liability due to diminished property values. <br />2. Comment on the proposed permit to the Division of Minerals and Geology and hold <br />at least two public hearings on the permit prior to commenting. <br />3. Evaluate a change in zoning of all property adjacent to the Snowstorm mine to <br />residential. All property owners within three miles of the mine should be contacted <br />for input. <br />Park County is one of the fastest growing in Colorado. The majority of this growth is <br />from individuals, families and businesses who value quiet, open-space, clear air and <br />water, wildlife and a responsive county government. The County will continue to grow <br />in the future and operations such as the Snowstorm mine must be controlled in a manner <br />that does not destroy the present day values that make Park County so attractive. <br />Granted, mining is a historic activity that helped build the County, but it is no longer <br />1940. <br />In conclusion, we want to emphasize that we are not anti-mining or unreasonable in our <br />environmental views. We are, however, concerned landowners and others who believe <br />that the current conditions at the mine are unacceptable and have seriously impacted our <br />property and living conditions. We believe it is the primary responsibility of the Division <br />