GENERAL34522

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Name: WATER COURT UPDATE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

CHRONOLOGY
* Nov 1988 -Costilla County Committee For
Environmental Soundness (CES) was formed to
promote the concerns and interests of local farmers,
ranchers, and other concerned citizens.
* Dec 1988 - A public meeting was held; BMG
claimed that cyanide operation was safe; community
concerns were expressed; CES was authorized to
conduct negotiations wfth BMG.
* Feb 1988 -Mined Land Reclamation Board tabled
the granting of the mining permit at a public hearing;
meeting was attended by many local residents who
expressed unity in opposition to BMG; a candlelight
vigil was held on the steps of the State Capitol in
Denver.
* Mar 1988 -BMG was denied water by the
Sanchez Ditch & Reservoir Co., Inc.
* Mar 22, 1989 - MLRB granted the Mining Permit
to BMG.
• Apr 5, 1989 -BMG filed application for 700 (now
860) acre-feet of water per year from underground
sources; filed wRh Division #3 water Court in
Alamosa, CO.
' Apr 21, 1989 -CES tiled civil action in District
Court, City and County of Denver against Mined
Land Reclamation Board and Battle Mountain Gold
Company; CES sought invalidation of mining permit
and financial relief.
* Mar 1990 -District Court rules against CES.
* July, 1990 -San Luis Peoples Ditch rejects
$50,000 offer from Twin Mountain Construction (a
BMG subcontractor) for water use.
* Sept 14-16, 1990 -Colorado College student
protest at Rito Seco County Park.
* Sept 23, 1990 - Senator Tim Wirth requests
intervention of EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
' Oct 15, 1990 -CES and Costilla County
Conservancy District members meet with EPA, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service and Governor Romer to
express opposition to BMG and other concerns.
' Nov 5, 1990 -CES, Costilla County Economic
Development Council, and other concerned citizens
meet with Bea Romer (wife of Governor Romer).
' Nov 26-30, 1990 -Water trial in Alamosa Water
District Court.
THE PR08lEMS
1. The BMG strip mine operation is located entirely
within the watershed boundary. The'dewatering' of
the mine pRs will lower the water table and destroy
sensitive wetlands and wildlife habitat in the Rfto
Seco and damage agricultural water users.
2. The cyanide leach vats and tailings ponds are
located wthin the flood plain and only three miles
from the town of San Luis.
3. The possibility of contamination of the San Luis
groundwater is a grave concern. The migration of
heavy metals into the aqu'rfer or into the Rito Seco
Creek drainage is a long term danger.
4. BMG refuses to guarantee economic gains to the
community. BMG stands to extract about $400
million in gold while the community 'gains' 10 to 50
labor jobs, hundreds of a+;res of destroyed and
damaged lands, and thousands of tons of toxic
materials introduced into the area. San Luis could
also gain' a contaminated water supply and polluted
air.
BATTLE MOUNTAIN GOLD WILL BE HERE FOR
LESS THAN TEN YEARS. WE WILL BE HERE FOR
GENERATIONS TO COME.
FOR FURTHER lNFORAL9TlON CONTACT.'
COST7LLA COUN7YCOMA/7T7EE FOR
ENYIItONMFMAL SOUNDNESS
P.O. Boz 9
San Lair, ColoraJo 81152
!n Costilla County:
Jac Gallegos (719, 672-3883
Mike Gomm (719, 672-3667
Charlie laquez, Jr. (7(9) 672-3511
Maria 4aldu (7191 672.3678
!n Drnrv:
Janc Kircho (303J 232-4293
Nora Jaqua [phone]
!n Colorado Svrings:
Louis McFarland (7~ 9) 389-6334
Dowtionr may be n ade to CES
ata cardua cranty
Economic Dcvelopm~nt Counci{
anon-profu S01 (c)3 organization
This ncwrlet+er prepared with the assis++nce of Devon Pena and Suzi
Strawn of the Colorarh Co77egr Nulbn Crntn for Soudtwest Studies.
The Committee for Environmental Soundness wishes
to thank the following individuals and organizations
for their funding support or other assistance: Bishop
Arthur Tafoya, DD., Francis Balcomb, Devon Pena
and The Rio Grande Bioregions Project, David
Cooper, Louis McFarland, MEChA, ENACT, and
Aztlan Journal.