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c <br />JAlll 0 9.2006 "r ~~~.,~ <br />December 28, 2005 <br />Wlk~of Ottawabaad BeWotry ~' <br />Fiar'~1.: Coalby Canyon Association / ' ~~~! Q S 2UQ6 <br />Dear Mr.Shuey, (~~E~Fw~t Ln ~1erlwrf~~PLca~~ b'?rrlin+~ns~*a:c;.~~,eita ~:w:;,~^.,:4 <br />The enclosed information was provided to the Oetta County Board of Commissioners, <br />and is being sent to you to document the concerns expressed below. While some or all of what <br />follows may not fall within the jurisdiction of the Division of Minerals and Geology, the residents of <br />Coalby Canyon wish to express our deep opposition to the proposed Benson Brothers Quarry. It <br />should be known that 92 letters requesting denial of the quarry were written by residents of Coalby <br />Canyon and petitions requesting denial with 196 names were submitted to the county (see <br />enclosure with this letter). Only four letters were written in favor of the quarry. Within Coalby <br />Canyon 86% of the residents requested denial. In spite of the false and misleading claims by <br />Benson Brothers about surrounding land use, within '~ mile of the proposed quarry boundary, in <br />Coalby Valley alone, are 36 homes, two income producing orchards, one commercial vineyard, <br />and alfalfa fields. The established agricuNurb is at high risk from dust damage and lies directly <br />adjacent to the quarry. Three homes lie directly below Rollins sandstone cliffs on the south <br />boundary of the quarry and are at risk from rock falls induced by mining adivity. Five elderly <br />residents adjacent to the quarry have health problems exacerbated by dust and have doctors' <br />letters stating they should not be exposed to dust. These letters are on file with the Delta County <br />Health Department. A number of homes have domestic wells near the quarry site whidr could be <br />affeded by ground water depletion or contamination. The Carbon ditch runs near the west <br />boundary of the site and is in danger of storm runoff damage, and a natural drainage could carry <br />stormwater runoff from exposed quarty ground and could endanger homes immediately south and <br />west of the site. <br />Delta County Spedfic Development Regulations state that existing land use should take <br />precedence over new deveopments, that developments must be compatible with existing land <br />use in the area, and that developments should not adversey impact adjacent land owners with <br />regard to noise, dust, or property values. Based on these regulations and the overwhelming <br />opposition by local residents, the Delta County Planning Department recommended denial of the <br />quarry permit to the Board of County Commissioners. <br />In spite of this seemingly overwhelming evidence for denial, the Delta County Area <br />Planning Committee (APC), County Planning Committee, and the Board of County <br />Commissioners (BOCC) all voted for approval without addressing our concerns. Agricultural crops <br />are at risk, elderly residents heath is at risk, peoples homes below the cliffs are at risk, three new <br />homes for the area have been gnceled, and nearby residents could be driven from their homes <br />and/or lose their properly values. We request that the State Reclamation Board consder all of <br />these cumulative impacts and deny the permit because none of these issues have been resolved. <br />Sincerely, <br />Coal y Canyon Association <br />~-~. ~~ <br />