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FACTS ABOUT SAN LUIS AND BATTLE MOUNTAIN GOLD San Luis, Colorado: --is the oldest town in Colorado, established April 5, 1851; --is a National Historic District with a unique, and endangered, native Indo•Hispano culture; --is the site of one of the only two 'commons' in the United States, the renowned 'San Luis Vega' (•Boston Commons' is the only other common property resource in the country); --is home to the original Indo-Hispano settlers of the Sangre de Cristo land grant; the village is still host to numerous traditional artisans and crattworkers including painters, woodcarvers, furniture makers, and weavers; lt is also the home of two 'Centennial Farms,' designated as such by the USDA, the Colorado State Historical Society, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation because they have been owned and operated by the same families for over one hundred years; --is home to twenty-six traditional aceauia (irrigation ditch) associations with the oldest adjudicated water rights in the State of Colorado; the farmers and ranchers of the area depend on a pure water supply for their livelihoods; '--is on the verge of an economic recovery based on an environmentally-sound mix of tourism, an arts and .crafts revival, and a rebounding agricultural economy. Battle Mountain Gold: --is a transnational corporation based in Houston, Texas; lt has mining operations in North and South America and Australasia; --was given a grade of •D--'for its poor environmental record by the respected geologist, John McPhee; --is proposing a strip mine and cyanide-leaching operation to extract gold Trom the foothills above the village of San Luis; the proposed mine site is situated on the sensitive watershed of the Rito Seco, the source of irrigation water for local farmers and ranchers; --is proposing a strip mine that would be 500 Teet deep and two miles in length; operation of the mine plts will require a process called 'dewatering,' which will endanger the 100 acres of pristine wetlands in the Rito Seco and lower the water table in a manner that will damage agricultural activity in the area; -is proposing a strip mine that would be boated within 100 yards of the Rdo Seca wetlands and within a quarter mile of the only county park in the area; the fill, dust, noise, and vibrations produced by the mine plt operations will affec3 several dozen bird species, riparian vegetation (trees, bushes, and wildflowers), and the water quality of the wetlands habitat; -is proposing a 240 acre toxic tailings pond that will be located direly on top of the sensitive Rito Seco aquifer. STUDENTS PROTEST AT RITO SECO PARK The weekend of September 14-16 brought 40+ persons, many of whom were students from the Colorado College, to the Rito Seco Park for the purpose of demonstrating their oF~posltion to the ecological destruction which is taking place at the Battle Mountain Gold Company mine site outside San Luis. Upon learning of the vast devastation to the park, its surrounding wetlands, and water quality throughout the region due to 8MG's proposed mining operations, and the local residents' fears for their livelihood, students at the college joined together to organize a campout anj protest at the Park. Students from Colorado College's MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan), ENACT (Environmental Action), and the'Eanh House' joined together for the protest. The events consisted of a candlelight vigil, environmental education sessions and discussions, and an impromptu tour of the mina operation and impacted areas with Gary Dodson (BMG mine manager). Many young people asked questions that Mr. Dodson found difficult to answe~. A dance and dinner were provided by various nembers of the local community. The students purpose in protesti~ig was to draw attention from media, government officials, and concerned citizens throughout Co orado and the Southwest to the problem arising in San Luis. The students succeeded in various way s. Many news reporters attended the campout or held interviews with members of the protest group. Bill McIntyre from the magazine, Aztl~n, wrote an extended article for (Please see Students Protest next page)