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, .. page .`::4/14/87 It is the responsibility of the County Commissioners to look carefully at all the information available, rather than going on the recommendation of one, self- admitt:edly narrow visioned (by definition) body. The Sandco pit is an important part of a mcuh, much larger problen that encompasses the entire Animas Valley. Each of the agencies afore mentioned have experts ready and waiting to be contacted by La Plata County for assistance in putting together a river management plan. After seeking advice andhelp form the agencies I have found that the only group with the ABILITY to orchestrate the organization of such a plan is the County Cemmissioners. It is your (coc~issioners) responsibilty to consu:Lt with these agencies on behalf of La Plata County residence. Many areas of expertise are needed to come up with a viable plan and that is why these various agencies exist. Bill [dewnan of U.S Fish andWildlife Service has recently flown over this area and even before i contacted him had noted the reach of river between Baker's Bridge and Trimble Lane as an area needing immediate attention. He has offered to come back down, at the request of the County to help with a management plan. Bob C:Lark, Senior Biologist with the Co. Division of Wildlife is very concerned over the ruination of habitat, and puzzled, as many La Plata County residents are. that a county in which fishing and hunting constitutes such a large part of the economy would waste these resources. ( He has hard figures of dollar amoun*_s brought into the county from these activities) Mr. Clark has offered both +.o come down and to send his field representative, at the request of the county to help with a plan. The p~aople who visit La Plata County~s vacationers do not come here to visit an industrial site. People do not move to La Plata County and buy high priced land for a home site in the beautiful Animas Valley only. to watch their hard earne~9 dollars wash downstream into a rock collection pit and eventually into someone elsed pocket as the river cuts un-naturally into the streambank. Brad lgiller of the E.P.A. presently has an ear to this threatening situation in the Animas Valley and knows that rampanat, unplanned developemnt, be it residential or industrial, can be fatal to the environment. He too is ready to help and has already begun to contact the other agencies to gather information. Ed Bi,echoff with Co. Mined Lands is concerned with permit violations which may h,sve allowed the condition of the Animas River and Valley to degenerate to this stage.