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<br />l ,-~ _.L,. ~ ,
<br />Leave gravel , -
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<br />where it is ~ ~ „ ~~ ~ ~~
<br />We are writing this Ie[[er Co in-
<br />form you of our feelings about the
<br />proposed mining of Che Waldo Can-
<br />}'lllLarl`a.ln Ute Pass.~c Ttve~iti
<br />Green Mountain Falls and drive up
<br />and down Ute Pass every day; so
<br />we feel that [he mining operation
<br />refill significantly affect our lives.
<br />We live up Ute Pass primarily
<br />because it is a beautiful natural
<br />arc;- t; ;t~-t tl~tve Fias always
<br />emt an inspirational one. Gravel
<br />trucks lumbering along, spewtn
<br />r~cl- ut <`1 aiid causing traffic con-
<br />gestion, and perhaps even acci-
<br />denLS, will certainly spoil [his
<br />drive, nut. only fur Iota resl~enfs,
<br />but also for tourists who come into
<br />[his :u ea or t e same reasons that
<br />we Inc here. The blasting that
<br />rvould~have to be done to recover
<br />the gravel could also be hazardous
<br />w driving, as the steep sides of the
<br />piss already have a tendency to
<br />lose boulders occasionally.
<br />A{any other things bother us
<br />about the mining that perhaps do
<br />not affect us directly, but certainly
<br />arc serious concerns. Pollution of
<br />Fountain Creek by products of
<br />_ iivtiing :oul3-be a problem-'1'l-fie
<br />area ~~omc tfi decr,~ 13%~hor_n
<br />sheep, and other wTdlife, and it
<br />Tot-l~-lie`s ~ for them. Recla-
<br />ma[iun of the area would be diffi-
<br />cult and costly, and 1 wonder if it
<br />could really succeed, considering
<br />how steep the slopes of [he canyon
<br />will bc. Lastly, there will be an un-
<br />desirable impact on Che Waldo Can-
<br />yon U~uil itself. Out family hikes
<br />t ha[ [rail xt Icast twice a year, and
<br />it. is a very enjoyable hike. It is
<br />especially valuable because it is so
<br />close to ow' home and the homes of
<br />residents of Colorado Springs. 1 see
<br />cars in the parking lot for the [rail
<br />every day, and I would bet that it
<br />is one of the most well-used trails
<br />in Ll Pxsu County.
<br />- John and Patti Morgan
<br />Green Mountain Falls
<br />
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<br />Waldo project would
<br />destroy natural habitat
<br />I have worked in the develop-
<br />ment industry in the Colorado
<br />Springs area for the last six years
<br />and I have yet to see a submittal
<br />with less metit than the ro ed
<br />Waldo Canyon mining plan. The
<br />benefits of the proposed 28-acre
<br />grovel pi t would be negl igible when
<br />compared to the detrimental effects
<br />that the mining would have on the
<br />tourismm industry, the recreation on
<br />Waldo Trail, -public safety and
<br />welfare The following examples
<br />will illustrate my point.
<br />A Waldo Canyon Traffic Im-
<br />pactAnalysis,datedFeb.27, 1989,
<br />prepared for' the applicant: was
<br />submitted to the EI Poo County
<br />Land Usc Department. Page four of
<br />that report states that"the potential
<br />speed differential of IS to 20 milts
<br />per hour between trucks and ps-
<br />senger vehicles creates a potential
<br />traffic safety problem. National.
<br />studies have shown that the number
<br />of accidents between Wcks and
<br />passenger vehicics is directly re-
<br />lated to the speed differential be-
<br />tween the two types of vehicles:'
<br />The March 1989 revised min-
<br />ing plan, submitted by the appli-
<br />cant, delineates the removal of a
<br />portion of a prominent ridge at the
<br />existing elevation of 7,240 feet
<br />down to a proposed elevation of
<br />6,920 feet This mining would
<br />remove 320 feet from the top of a
<br />ridge. This is more than twice as
<br />high as the tallest building in Colo-
<br />rado Springs. This mining activity
<br />would be clearly visible from U.S.
<br />Highway 24 as one travelled in both
<br />directions.
<br />An "Approval of Location" for
<br />an open pit mineral extraction op-
<br />eration was requested by Rocky
<br />Mountain Paving in 1973. Said
<br />request was denied by the El Paso
<br />County Planning Commission and
<br />the Board of County Commission-
<br />ers. With Mr. Bob Isaac represcnl-
<br />ing the applicant, the County Com-
<br />missioners agreed to rehear the
<br />request by remanding it back to the
<br />Planning Commission. The Plan-
<br />ning Commission again recom-
<br />mended denial of the request.
<br />However, the County Commis-
<br />sioners approved the request with
<br />conditions on March 1, 1974. ,
<br />In the minutes from the afore-
<br />mentioned meetings, it is clearly
<br />stated four separate times that the
<br />mining would last approximately
<br />two years. On Sept. 19, 1973, Mr.
<br />Johnny Johnson representing the
<br />applicant, stated, "Rocky Moun-
<br />tainPaving plans to just extract the
<br />loose gravel" and "there would be .
<br />no blasting taking place." On Oct.
<br />17, 1973, Mr. Johnson stated,
<br />'"There would be four and a half
<br />acres of open pit mining opera-
<br />tions." On Nov. 1, 1973, Mr.
<br />Johnson stated that he anticipated
<br />15 l0 20 wck trips per day. On Feb. .
<br />20, 1974, Mr. Bob Isaac stated that
<br />"The petitioner's principal purpose
<br />was not for commercial ttse but w
<br />use this land for further swctures:'
<br />The legal description for the entire.
<br />3Cracre parrkl was used to describe
<br />the area.
<br />Today, however, the new ap-
<br />plicant, Rocky Mountain Asphalt,
<br />is attempting to use the exact same
<br />county approval to mine 24 acres,
<br />disturb Fottr additional acres, use
<br />dynamite in a commerical opera-
<br />tion, generate up to 200 truck trips
<br />per day and mine the site for the
<br />next 15 to 30 years. This was
<br />clearly not the intent or the spirit of
<br />the 1974 approval. The current
<br />request would be funny if it were
<br />no[ so infuriating.
<br />As citizens we should not al-
<br />low tite proposed deswction of
<br />natural featwes and wildlife habitat
<br />which signiFicantly contributes to
<br />the attractiveness of our commu-
<br />nity. Please address your concerns
<br />to the EI Paso County Commission-
<br />ers, 27 E. Vermijo, Colorado
<br />Springs, Colorado 80903.
<br />Robert Meldon
<br />
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