Laserfiche WebLink
Mrs, Dora Mae Trampe <br />Page $ix <br />Apri I 1 b, 1981 <br />The problem of growth in the unincorporated areas is of major concern <br />to Delta County officials. However, creation of or changes in zoning <br />ordinances is the proper cool for directing growth in the area. <br />• Transportation - Transportation issues concerning SH-133 and the rail- <br />road are a paramount issue in the area. It was our understanding from <br />discussions with the Department of Highways that work on SH-133 was <br />proceeding as outlined in the EIS and that funding was assured. Judg- <br />ing by the comments from Delta and Gunnison County, this may not be <br />the case. We propose to clarify this issue through discussions with the <br />State Department of Highways and local representatives. Once this <br />issue is clarified, the study will be revised concerning SH-133. How- <br />ever, there remain some short-term issues to be addressed concerning the <br />time period before the completion of the upgrading of SH-133. These <br />are discussed in the mitigation section. <br />The section of the document dealing with the railrood will be revised to <br />include the number of trains per day the expansion would generate and <br />points at which the railroad crosses the road. Mitigation of this issue <br />is also discussed in the final section. <br />• Severance Taxation - The proposed revisions in the distribution of the <br />Severance Tax Fund in the past session of the legislature were not ad- <br />dressed in the study since they did not reflect current conditions. Cur- <br />rently, the severance tax rate for underground mines in Colorado is 37 <br />cents per ton. Beginning next year, the distribution formula will be: <br />- 50% to the trust fund; and <br />- 50% io local governments. <br />Revisions in this formula were proposed in the recent legislature, but <br />failed. The proposal was for the following formula: <br />- 60% to local governments; ' <br />- 25% to the Department of Highways for energy impacted areas; <br />- 10% to the trust fund; and <br />- 5% to the Department of Health and the Department of Natural <br />Resources for regulatory functions. <br />Since the proposed revision did not pass, we will not include a discussion <br />of it in the study. However, a revised distribution formula would be <br />supported to help alleviate the cumulative impacts of development. This <br />item is discussed further under the mitigation section. <br />