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Mining Plan • When Castle Concrete took over mining, the most feasible method of extraction of the remaining limestone was to use a benching system. This was mainly due to the existing steep slopes. Benching was the only way to safely operate the mine. Benching created a corrugated texture to the mountainside. Although the area of disturbance is essentially the same, the texture changed from a scar that looked like a huge landslide to a corrugated texture that looks unnatural. In the early 1980's when Colorado Springs was growing rapidly, much of that expansion occurred northward. Thus for 70 or 80 years the existing disturbances on the site were not very objectionable because few people saw it regularly. Through expansion northward more people began to see the operation from their homes and its previous high visual impact became very evident and objectionable to many people. In conclusion, the mining history of this site is one of long term disturbance that increased dramatically over the years. But it was generally not of great public concern until Colorado Springs began a dramatic expansion northward to land east of and in full view of the operation. only then did the operation become of general public concern. Much of the objection focuses not only on the • large dimensions of the scar but also on the corrugated texture of the benching pattern needed to remove, effectively and efficiently, the remaining limestone resources. The issue of essential abandonment in the past is one aspect of the history, from the point of view of reclamation, that is important. Under the Mined Land Reclamation Act if no mining had been done after July 1, 1973, (or 1976, depending upon interpretations) the site today would be abandoned mined land with little opportunity for reclamation except through the expenditure of abandoned land reclamation funding or full public funding. From the point of view of resource utilization significant aggregate reserves would remain on a site that was highly disturbed. Today (1994), there might not be any company willing to assume the obligation for reclamation by further mining of the site. Therefore, if Castle Concrete, or another company, had not started mining before the law and continued mining after passage of the law, not only would the site have the same visual impact it has today with nobody obligated to reclaim it, but a significant aggregate reserve would be lost on land that was ah•eady th a highly disturbed condition. Site characteristics: As described above, the operation faces east and rests on a steep mountainside. Vegetation on the site is largely absent except where revegetation has occurred • around the base of the quarry itself. Surrounding vegetation is mostly forest with smaller amounts of shrub dominated vegetation. Under the current permitted plan approximately 25 Pikeview Quarry Amendment Exhibit D Page 3