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Kuretich has implied to the Division that only the apples <br />grown adjacent to the loadout were of juice quality and that said <br />apples were sold for a loss over the price of eating apples as a <br />direct result of the loadout operation. It is the contention of <br />Terror Creek Company, based upon experience and discussions with <br />knowledgeable growers, that in any orchard only a small percentage <br />of apples grown will qualify for classification as table or eating <br />apples; other apples in a given orchard will Buffer some <br />degradation of quality from natural causes and will be classified <br />canner or juice apples. It would be interesting to learn what <br />percentage of table apples vs. other classes were present in <br />Kuretich's orchard as a whale and compare said percentage with <br />apples grown adjacent to the loadout. <br />The Division may or may not be aware that the Somerset branch <br />line of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad runs adjacent to <br />and through the Kuretich property, This railroad in 1984 hauled <br />in excess of 1,000,000 tans of crushed run-of -mine coal in open <br />top hoppers through Kuretich's property (such tonnages should <br />approach 1,850,000 tons in 1985). Again it would be interesting <br />to learn of any difficulties or reports of same from Kuretich <br />pertaining to his orchard as a result of rail traffic caused dust <br />or contamination. <br />K.uretich's property and apple orchard is contiguous with and <br />adjacent to certain property now owned by Coors Energy, but <br />previously operated as the Bowie Mine, prep plant, and Bowie power <br />plant. Active operation of the mine ceased in approximately 1974, <br />but it is my understanding Kuretich has resided and grown apples <br />at his present location a number of years prior to the Bowie Mine <br />closure. Long time residents of the area, Mr. Adam Bronish and <br />Mr. L.C. George, have stated that coal dust was so prevalent at <br />the prep plant (adjacent to Kuretich 's orchard) that vehicle <br />drivers had to many times turn on their lights when traveling <br />through the area. Kuretich was an employee of the Bowie Mine, but <br />it would be of interest to learn of any degradation of his apple <br />crop from what has been reported to be severe coal dust <br />contamination adjacent and presumably within his orchard. <br />The inspection report of October 16, 1985 states that you, as <br />a representative of the Division, and I, as represenative of <br />Terror Creek Company, had agreed that Terror Creek Company will <br />"...submit a proposal to abate dust problems at the site." The <br />word abate connotes an admission of wrongdoing or a violation on <br />the part of Terror Creek Company. Terror Creek Company <br />catagorically denies any violation of either the Regulations of <br />the Mined Land Reclamation Division or a violation of the Air <br />Quality Permit held by Terror Creek Company. <br />(3) <br />