Laserfiche WebLink
• III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII • ~'~ <br />COSTILLA COUNTY COMMITT~;E <br />FOR <br />ENVIRONMENTAL SOUNDNESS <br />P.O. BOX 9 • SAN LUIS, COLORADO 81152 <br />June 27, 1996 <br />Carl Ellers, CEO <br />Battle Mountain Gold Company <br />333 Clay St., 42nd Floor <br />Houston, TX 77002 <br />Dear Mr. Ellers: <br />r <br />~;x~1~~~,~, <br />Y1 ~~b <br />~~~ <br />The Committee for Environmental Soundness is concerned about the possible danger posed by <br />the BMG San Luis Project to the safety and health of San Luis residents. The tailings dam and <br />disturbed earth areas are only three miles downstream from San Luis; they are in the Rito Seco <br />drainage above the town's water supply; and, the millions of pounds of toxic materials can only <br />migrate downhill towards the San Luis populace. Thus, the following questions are submitted: <br />1) What guarantee do we have that the tailings dam will not collapse? <br />2) If the tailings dam would collapse, what are your plans for such an event? <br />3) Since the tailings dam is located on the Rito Seco floodplain, will the tailings be removed? <br />4) What is the'life expectancy' of the plastic liner? <br />5) How much is the present liner leaking? How can we find out? <br />6) What will be done about the Dodson Toxic layer? <br />7) Since the tailings dam lies on a fault, if dam failure occurs what kind of emergency plan do <br />you have? Who will be responsible? <br />8) Can we see the data on the de-watering of the west pit? <br />9) Can we get our own hydrologist on the mine site to take an independent look? VVe have been <br />denied this since the fall of 1995. <br />10) Is the Earth Science heap leach pad completely reclaimed? What was done to the site? <br />11) What plan do you have for erosion control after you are gone? Who will be in charge of <br />maintaining this erosion control? <br />12) How long will the fences stay up and who will maintain them? <br />13) After BMG is gone, what structures and changes to the original area will remain on the site? <br />14) Who will be available to answer our on-going questions as they arise as the shu:-down <br />continues and afterwards? <br />We I p reciate your prompt responses to these questions. <br />Charlie J. q ez, <br />President <br />cc: CO Dept. Of Health & Envir., EPA,~Dept. Of Natural Resources, Costilla Co. Commission <br />