2002-04-08_REVISION - M1976020 (13)

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a~~~F,q F Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology ATTN: Wally Ericson-~ 701 Camino del Rio #125 Durango, CO 81301 42051 N. Crooked Stick Road Anthem, AZ 85086-1064 Apri13, 2002 Ae~'~ed APR ~ 8 ?Op `,/ Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology ATTN: Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board Centennial Building 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 RE: Thomas Pit Four Corners Materials, Inc./~ Application for 112 Permit (#: M-76-020) ~ Gentlemen: z p,,, ~ This past weekend I (earned of the above-referenced 112 permit application submitted for the Thomas Pit. I have reviewed the February 2002 report of Greg Lewicki & Associates regarding this application and have substantial concerns about the reliability and long- term stability of the proposed riverbank modifications and the additional risks associated with the introduction of the proposed adjacent lake so close to the river edge. I mentioned this application to neighbors and was surprised to find that some were unaware of the application. My residence and property (19.2 acres) are located at 720 James Ranch Road, directly adjacent to the west bank of the Animas River and about'/: mile south of the Thomas Pit application site. The single largest concern which we had when choosing to build our home on the west side of the Animas river was the stability of primary river channel, especially the west bank of the channel, during major flooding runoff. Should a substantial portion of the primary river channel flows be diverted west of the current west riverbank, our home and property would be at risk. The proposed pit mining, and corresponding deep lake formation, immediately adjacent to the current west bank of the river, in conjunction with the proposed marked reduction in the size and strength of the west river bank in this region, present an obvious concern to the west bank residents down-river. I have no conceptual disagreement with the mining of rock and the production of a lake (where permitted), which does not endanger the stability of the primary river channel. However, the proximity of the lake proposed in the referenced application raises many issues that have not been adequately addressed.