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Submitted by: J. Mersch Ward July 13, 2003 ¶ 2: The operator notes the plan to maintain concrete and asphalt production units on site. These facilities will require storage for both cement and road oil along with fuel for the mining equipment and heat for the asphalt plant. There is no discussion as to how these facilities will be placed to insure that spillage or general operating activity does not contaminate the ground water. An unlined central collection basin should not be acceptable. Reference is made to dry mining conditions. It is highly unlikely that such a situation will exist. The mine is proposed in an azea known as the Spring Creek Bench. The geologic section of this area, starting at the top, consist of a substantial "A" soil horizon that has an adequate thickness for row crop agricultural production. This is followed by a "B & C" horizon of varying thickness. Following the soil horizons is a substantial thickness of gravel. On the mining site this gavel is reported to range from 20-60 feet in thickness. The gravel lies unconformably on an impervious geologic unit known as the Mancos formation that is made up of a thick sequence of marine shale. Leakage from live streams, irrigation ditches, field irrigation and annual precipitation passes through the soil horizons and into the gravel. The water continues to migrate to the base of the gravel. It then moves in a northern and easterly direction along the paleosurface of the graveUshale contact. The water is later picked up in shallow wells or dischazged as springs along the eastern and northern toe of the mesa or dischazged as make up water along the Uncompahgre River. These springs aze quite evident on slopes along Mexican Gulch and its western tributary, which lies east of the mining property. Wells and springs aze the water rights of others. The planned mine having an overall length of a mile and width to one-quarter mile will intercept this aquifer and interfere with these rights. The mine will also have to deal with the water as it enters the pit as well as long-term reclamation at the bottom of the unfilled depression. Excessive water may need to be dischazged, resulting in the need of a water dischazge pemut. These issues need to be addressed. ¶3: Post-mined land use is proposed as cropland. It is uncleaz how a 3:1 slope will be maintained as cropland considering the difficulty in planting, watering and harvesting crops on such slope. It is also not understood what crops are to be maintained on the pit floor with the possibility of a wet environment in part and the inability to drain off excessive water from the pit floor when imgation is used. Long-term use does not appeaz to be well thought out. Minim Methods ¶ 1: The mine will not likely be a dry mine. See discussion above.