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l.n 1 ~ \~- ~~ ~~ rti III IIIIIIIIIIIII III .. P ro p o s ~ d cam an we may contact the agency involved about the problem. Residents of the gravel pit said thry (Continued from Page 1) were con (used about what agencies to hearing conference Tuesday, April contact regarding health concems. 19, to receive more public input. The "We want to know wl!o we will conference will be held in Montrose, need to contact. This has become very but the location and lime will be de- frustrating for some of us;' said Todd temmined later. Richardson, spokesman for Citizens Bmce Humpries, supervisor of the for the Preservation of Scenic 550, a division's minerals program and coor- group or residents fighting the gravel dinator of Monday's meeting, said a pit. member of the state board and divi- sion staff' will attend the pre-hearing conference. The board will hold a hearing on United Companies permit application either April 27 or 28 in Denver, Hunm- pries said. During the meeting, Hwnpries out- lined what the board has jurisdiction over and what they would consider before it would grant a permit to the company. Devaluation of property, the visual impact o(the operation and noise are not issues the board will usually ad- dress, Humpries said. He said the board may consider impacts on wild- life, safety, ground and surface water and air quality. The division will consult with the Colorado Division of Wildlife about wildlife concems and the state engi- neer about water-quality issues. The division doesn't regulate air quality unless dust, usually caused by vehicles driving tc and from the oper- ation, impacts the area outside of the plant. - Hutnpries said several areas related to water and air quality are enforced by other agencies, such as the Envir- onmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Health. e on go ou a e r agency regulations;' Humpries said. "1(we see a problem, we may make a note of it in our report if it was a con- "We want to know if we have to wail for the operator to start before other state and federal agencies can take action, or if we need to contact them now;' he said. Humpries said United Companies may need to obtain other permits be- fore the operation can begin. "If they have aasphalt-batch plant al the site, I'm assuming that they will have to get an air-emissions permit for that;' he said. Several residents voiced concems about the harmful affects the opera- tion may have on air quality. Gravel pit neighbor Henry Becker said he was worried about what im- pact emissions from the asphalt plant and dust Gom the operation would have on his wife Dorothy, who is suf- fering from respiratory problems. "1'm very concerned about whether her health will be affected by the dust and odor from the area," he said. "We are going to smell this stench all day everyday, "1'nr a 75-year-old man. 1 don't want to move. 1 just can't go some- where else and start over again;' he said. Others were concerned about the impact the operation would have on irrigation water used (or fanning. James Dillie, environmental pro- tection specialist for the division, said the gravel pit is considered a "dry pit," and if it pollutes nearby groundwater supplies, it would be in violation of its pemmit and state regulations. Others were concerned whether the gravel pit could be reclaimed alter the operation is through mining at the site. Stuart Chappell, another resident living near the gravel pit, said it would be difficult to revegetate the slopes of [he pit due to its steepness and the dry- ness of the area. "The land is barren and nature has had a lot of trouble reclaiming any thing back on any type of slope in this area;' Chappell said. "It will be very difficult to raise anything on it." "That is one thing the board will consider;' Humpries said. "The stale will take a hard look at the reclama- tion plans before the board makes a decision." The affect the operation would have on wildlife was another concern. Several residents said dust from the gr a ptt woe expose severe spa tics o(birds that nest in areas around the Uncompahgre River. They also said deer and elk are found frequently in the area and would be exposed to the same hazards. Montrose County commissioner Cindy Bowen also addressed Hum- pries and Dillie about the county's concems regarding the gravel pit. "It is not our intent to prohibit,min- ing and asphalt plants in Montrose County, but rather to locale such oper- ations in the appropriate and compati- ble areas;' she said. "This location along Highway 550 is not the appro- priate or compatible area.", tots. Bowen said the operation is lo- cated in one of the more scenic areas of the county, and could impact thr visual quality and property values of the area. "Montrose County's econohmy sur- vives on our lourisin, agriculture and small businesses;' she said. -"This is what attracts people to Ivtonlrose County, which in turn increases prop- erty values and sales tax revenues the county receives. "Placing a mining, crushing and asphalt plant on Highway 550 south, in one of our best tourist attraction; areas, may have a significant affect one Montrose County revenues and the economy. The decrease in neighbor-' ing property values is not only a prob-~ tern (or the property owners, but (or Montrose County govemm:n! ..-I well." Ms. Bowen said the stale can forcr companies to address noise problenc under a Colorado noise abatemen law, despite Humpries' earlier state menl that the division can't address those noise problems. ~, She also said dust from the grove pit may inmpacl livestock drives con ducted nearby, and additional trucl traffic on Highway 550 may make i hazardous for other motorists. Officials from United Companie attended the meeting, 1)ut didn't rook any forttral comments... Sprague Mayger, a United Compa nies sales representative for the M11or ~ trose area, said the company felt th meeting went fairly well. "We (alt that Bruce Humpries an James Dillie explained the procet and situation clearly to the group. Mayger said. "We feel the process ' progressing normally." Humpries said parties concems about the gravel pit must submit a li of witnesses, evidence arid issues the want covered et the pre-hearing co ference and hearing to the division c ' fice in Denver before 5 p.m. Frida "You need to be specific and poi out your concems to the boars Humpries said. "It's a technical boa interested in solving technical pre lams. They won't deny a permit t cept for a si2nificahlly-QOOd,reasot -