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.~ . <br />$TOX~ GFRAYEL PZT <br />24600 COiT11TTY ROAD P <br />DOLORE$, COLORADO 81323 <br />Z`alaplzone X970) 86a-:x603 <br />„"_.. `.L <br />Division of Minerals and Geology ~~~ ~ ~ 1997 <br />484 Turner Drive, Building "F", Suite 101 <br />Dwango, Colorado 81301~~~~~~"'~ ^~ ~'~'""~''•'` "~r,a" <br />Attention: Wally Erickson <br />Subject: 112 Application N~ M 97-089 STONE GRAVEL PIT <br />Response to Public Comment - S. C. Bell <br />Dear Mr. Erickson: <br />DEN'JER OFFICE <br />PU6LIC FILE COPI~"'° <br />FILE: M-9~-osp <br />SITE: s~„~ G~.,~~P ~,t <br />8 December 1997 <br />9ec~~~~'d <br />~E~~ ~ <br />°~ 1997 <br />~M8,bn o'~ ~~(s~Oryt' <br />4 e <br />~oi~ <br />In reference to Ms Bell's comment letter of 1 ]November 1997, we have the following <br />comments to clarify the situation. <br />First of all, the federal Bweau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior is <br />the custodian the surface estate (except for sand & gravel resources) of the referenced <br />public lands located west of the intersection of County Road "F" with County Road " 21" <br />in Montezuma County, Colorado. Inquiries regarding the permitted activities upon those <br />public lands are most appropriately directed to the Durango, Colorado, B.L.M, office to <br />avoid setting off what must have been an embarrassing sequence of false alarms. <br />For the record it should be pointed out that the Stone Gravel Pit company was on June 6, <br />1997, digging exploration test pits for the evaluation of the privately owned gravel <br />resowces on the premises. These excavations were directed by me personally with the <br />"surface estate" authorization of the B.L.M. area manager and in the company of a <br />B.L.M. staff archaeologist to monitor distwbance locations. An exploration surface <br />distwbance of 1,600 square feet of surface disturbance (no more than two such <br />disturbances per acre) is exempted from the requirement to post a "Notice of Intent" and <br />financial swety for exploration operations in the State of Colorado. This exemption is <br />provided by the Mined Land Reclamation Board Rules and Regulations in the Rule 1 <br />definition of "exploration". No "Notice of Intent" nor swety were therefore required to <br />be posted with the Mined Land Reclamation Board. <br />Authority for exploration of sand & gravel resources was a purchase option negotiated <br />with the resowce owners of that time. Stone Gravel Pit has subsequently acquired <br />ownership of that resource and of the "minerals". Colorado mining law is very specific <br />about the rights of mineral and other resource owners to explore for and mine their <br />