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~II II~~I~II~I'~~ ~I~ GROW RESPONSIBLY IN PLATTEVILLE (GRIP)* RE~E~~ ~D ~UL 0 2 2002 ndpe0l09y June 13, 2002 pivisi°n °~ H'i°e~als a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Division of Water Qua]ity Control 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South Denver, Colorado 80246-1530 RE: Permit Number: COG5000Q, Facility number. COG500346 Deaz Sir or Madam: We live near the Varna Sand and Gravel Pit Located on Highway 66 in Platteville. At the time of their application for permits to operate their gravel pit, your agency issued Vazra a permit to discharge water in to the Saint Vrain drainage. That permit expires on September 30, 2002. We aze asking that you NOT renew the permit until Varna changes its method of operation to wet mining. We aze also asking that we be included as parties in any public process conducted by your agency in the dischazge permit renewal process. Varna is currently mining several deep pits, the lazgest of which is permitted to extend over 83+ acres and up to 40 feet deep. When Vazra started mining in 2000, it is our understanding that wells in the immediate vicinity went dry and were deepened. As their mining operation has progressed, neighbors within 1.5 miles of Vazra's operation have documented a severe drop in the levels of their wells that has coincided with the opening of the lazgest of the pits. Meanwhile the Varna operation is pumping copious amounts of groundwater into the Saint Vrain River to the North and downstream of our wells. This artificially lowers the water table accessed by well owners to the East and South of their operation, and artificially inflates surface water available downstream from the point of dewatering. Currenty, permitting agencies are requiring other mining applicants the immediate vicinity of Varra's Highway 66 operation to wet mine. Vazra's continued dry mining will undermine the efforts of other gravel pit owners to preserve the water table.