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INTRODUCTION <br />The Cugnini Pit is located on County Road 305 approximately 9 miles south-southeast of downtown <br />Durango, Colorado in La Plata County (Please See Map 1}. The pit has been mined since the 1470's and <br />was initially permitted by the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology as a 110 operation of 8.03 <br />acres by P.L. Cugnini. It was re-permitted as a 112 operation (45.64 Acres) in 1986 (Permit Number M- <br />86-061) by P. L. Cugnini. Operation of the pit was transferred to Gosney and Sons in 1993. Also in <br />1993, the owners applied for a Class II Permit (45.64 Acres), which was granted in November of that <br />yeaz. In 2000, the operation was further transferred to Lafazge, and in 2002, a lease was established with <br />Four Corners Materials (FCM). <br />FCM plans to use the Cugnini Pit as their prinnary operations center for the Durango area. It appeazs that <br />FCM will be moving from the current (2003) location at Ewing Mesa to its new location at the Cugnini <br />Pit in the eazly months of 2004. Therefore, the overall impact to the county should be viewed as a change <br />of location rather than an increased impact on the county. <br />The Cugnini Pit's shift to a primary production facility increases the production rate of the pit and greatly <br />lessens the life span of the pit. To provide additional reserves, the pit azea will be expanded to the north <br />and south. The 1986 Permit area was 45.64 acres. Impacts from the 1986 area were mitigated through <br />road improvements to County Road 305. The road was widened, and high quality road base was applied <br />to the road way. The additional area added to the permit includes additional mining areas, a surrounding <br />buffer, and two gullies which will be filled with fines produced from the crushing/screening operation. <br />These areas can be seen in Map 2 included in Appendix B. The additional mining azea is 22.12 acres. <br />This additional area contains approximately 1,028,000 tons of sellable material. <br />With the increase in rate of production and increase in reserves, the life expectancy of the pit is 7.6 yeazs. <br />During and after the mining, the area will be reclaimed as irrigated field and dry rangeland slopes. This <br />is a significant improvement in the quality and use of the land, which is currently dry fields and dry <br />rangeland slopes. <br />Cugnini 12103 <br />