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Page 3 I have major concerns regarding the wet lands in the applicants permit. It has been relatively dry over the past few years, but ther is no question multiple areas of wet lands exist in the areas requested for mining. The applicant has completely ignored these wet lands and is bold enough to state a permit from the U.S. Corps of Engineers is not required. This is ridiculous. This would also have a substantially negative impact on the existing wildlife and would adversely affect this habitat. The Platte River runs along the west and north side of this property. Deer, eagles and hawks, owls, ducks and other species live in this habitat. There are statements in the application also regarding the flood plain. This entire area is in the 100 year flood plain. As recently as three years ago, hundreds of these acres were flooded and inaccessible for weeks. Approximately 25 years ago, this entire area was flooded and under water. The river banks in the spring erode regularly, and the river path continues to change significantly. Forty acres of river bank were lost four years ago during spring flooding. Please do not allow the applicant to minimize the historical., real flooding that regularly occurs in this area. This entire area is indeed located in a flood plain. This appears to be a direct violation to the weld County comprehensive plan. My family has retained one-half of the oil and gas royalties on the property now owned by Mr. Tom Sharkey. There are approximately 43 existing oil and gas wells currently in production. At least another six or seven wells have yet to be drilled (some of these because of wet land restric- tions incidently). I have major concerns regarding the ability to maintain and optimize the current oil and gas production as well as future drilling and redrilling operations. There is currently considerations and plans for well spacing capabilities to be changed to every 20 acres. Thus, my financial interest and ownership interests in the oil and gas wells seem to be in jeopardy here. Finally, there is essentially no significant quantity of land proposed for reclamation by the applicant. All the mined area will be multiple lakes (767 acres) and essentially only the banks of these lakes will be reclaimed, which is a total of only 64 acres of the entire area. The scale and size and scope of this proposed operation is hugh. This is one of the largest single pieces of agricultural land that remains in the immediate front range. It is beautiful open space that requires your help to survive.