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<br />proposed activities on the Ditch. To the extent the dewatering issue is addressed in <br />general sense, the recommendations are so general so as to provide very little real <br />protection for Western or its shareholders. <br />Western has not appeared as a party to these proceedings because, from the earliest <br />contact Western had with the Applicant, the Applicant expressed a desire to work with <br />Western, and assured Western that its concerns regarding the hydrological and <br />geophysical impacts of the proposed mining activities would be addressed in the form of <br />an agreement between Western and the Applicant. Western proceeded in good faith <br />based upon the Applicant's assurances, and even signed a waiver of 20 day notice in order <br />to accommodate the Applicant's prosecution of the permit application. Since March, the <br />Applicant and Western have been exchanging drafts of the proposed agreement, and as <br />late as May 10, 2001 counsel forthe Applicant, Frederick Ginsberg, forwarded a proposed <br />agreement he represented his clientwas willing to sign. The changes thatwere discussed <br />in the correspondence between the parties were minor -the Applicant cultivated the <br />impression that the major issues had been resolved, and that only minor issues remained. <br />Then, on May 16`", before Western had responded to Mr. Ginsberg's latest draft, he <br />forwarded a letter to Western's counsel stating that the Applicant would not enter an <br />agreement of any kind with Western. The Applicant's establishment of a "working" <br />relationship with Western, followed by the abrupt withdrawal of all cooperation within 5 <br />days of the 112 hearing lead Western to conclude that the Applicant purposefully misled <br />the Company until it determined that it was too late for Western to intervene in the 112 <br />proceeding, then abandoned all pretense of cooperation. The Applicant should not be <br />rewarded for these tactics. <br />Given the gravity of the potential hydrological and structural impacts of applicant's Plan on <br />the Ditch, and the apparent bad faith of the Applicant in this matter, the Board should <br />exercise its discretion under Rule 7.2.5 to allow Western to appear at the hearing and <br />present its concerns. <br />At the hearing, Western will proposed the following limitations on the Applicant: <br />1. Area of dewatering less than 1 acre on the entire property at any given time; <br />2. Dewatering to occur as close the South Platte River and as far from the Ditch as <br />possible; <br />3. Mining depth during dewatering limited to 15 feet below the static water level; <br />4. No dewatering between March 15 and October 16 of any given year without <br />Western's express permission; <br />5. No water to be discharged to the Western Mutual Ditch; <br />6. Applicant installs two measuring weirs and clocks prior to the commencement of <br />dewatering to measure the effect of dewatering activities on the Ditch; <br />7. Applicant to pay damages, including attorneys fees and costs, in the event of any <br />injury to the Ditch or its shareholders; <br />8. No mining activity within 150' of the Ditch <br />F:V(IM\WESTERN.MU1lPlade Sand\010517 MLRB.wpd <br />