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Div. of Reclamation, Mining & Safety <br />gt3 Sherman St. #2t5 <br />Denver CO 8ozo3 ` <br />Re: Coaldale Gypsum Ortatty petntit (#M-tg77~a47/) <br />Gentlemen: <br />~~ <br />e <br />L~. <br />I am writing to urge you to deny Holcim Inc. a permit to reopen the Coaldale quarry. <br />There are innumerable reasons to reject this permit; but two of the most compelling are: <br />April u, zoo? <br />`'~~'~' T G 7.(1~I <br />Division o; ^'sciammfion, <br />MFning and Safely <br />1/ <br />r. Coaldale has grown significantly; and the area around the mine has become predominantly residential. <br />z. Massive mock ttaffiegenerated will create serious safety hazards, noise, dust, and road damage; and will severely <br />impede ttatHc on nvo heavily-traveled Colorado highways. <br />Since the quarry was shut down in 1990, local circumstances have changed dramatically: <br />• The Coaldale vicinity has grown to nearly 1,000 residents. <br />• In the pas[ 17 years, scores of new families and retirees have moved to Coaldale and built homes in previously <br />unpopulated areas nearthe mine. <br />• Dozens now reside in [he Hayden Creek Meadows Subdivision alone, immediately adjacent to the mine and its <br />unpaved access road. <br />I n short: the area tlow is heavily tesidemial, and totally inoomPanbk wid- active mining. A working quarry today would have <br />an extremely inappropriate and negarive impact upon a F,~at many homes and citzens. <br />As a local resident and member of the Coaldale Fire Dep[., I am particularly concerned about the dangerous impact on ttatFc <br />safety and road infrastmeture. Holcim says their mine would dispatch 8 heavy trucks per day from Coaldale, all year `round <br />for3z years-each truck hauling z5 tons of rock tfie So+ miles ro I'lorence. With motetfian4,tooto®d-tripsp~year <br />dogging CR 6 thtwtgh Coalda~ Hwy. arc m Canon City and Hwy. II5 to Floteaoe._the results are ~^ w- <br />• Increase in slow, heavy-suck traffic through the narrow, winding, z-lane Hwy. yo Canyon (and 21ane Hwy. u~) greatly <br />raises the likelihood ofserious~fatal aocidens. <br />• Theearth-jolting passage of 4,roo mega-ton trucldoacLS/year through dre precipitous riverside canyon heightens the <br />danger of rockslides and rncldall-related accidents. <br />• I.arl,~e, sknv tntdcs wt71 pose a traffic impediment m fire and emergency vehicles, plus commuter and muris[ travel. <br />• Increased collision danger at the inmsecmon of CR 6 & Hwy. r~ and az Coaldak's busy postothce exit <br />.Increased rid damage to CR 6, and m Hwys. Sp & uy, will escalate repair frequency and oust to the State & County. <br />What cannot be measured in dollars is the massive damage to Coaldale citizens' quality of life. Al/ofthe mine's effects will <br />be negariver lows home values, skyraclsdng air& noise pollution, jeopardized water resources, wildlife disturbanocs, <br />threatened respiratory health, shattered tranquility-and permanent injury to one of Coorado's mgt scenic and fragile <br />eoosysrems. <br />The only benefit will be to the corporate coffers of Holcim Inc. and a tiny handful of greedy profiteers. <br />We are helpless without your protection. Please show the people of Coaldale--and America--that Colorado's government has <br />the integrity to defend its citizens and environment from destmctive exploitation. <br />I beg you: please deny the Holcim mining permit. <br />With profou/n'd~hope and thanks, <br />. T'o~JUI~-~ <br />Susan & Patterson /~ <br />POB 266 `~T_rj` <br />Coaldale CO 81222 <br />