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(Pjecember 19, 1988 To: Colorado Department of Natural Resources Mine Land Reclamation Board Water Conservation Board Fm: Prax Ortega Property Owner Vicinity of Rito Seco Watershed Subject: LETTER OF PROTEST-LETTER OF CONCERN Earth Science Inc. ~+ners/ Battle Mountain Gold Co. Lease Please consider our vital concerns of people that have lived peacefully in this Older[ Tovn in Colorado as small farmers with livestock and common grazing ar Traditional land use and decreed number one agriculture water rights in [he St. of Colorado. 1. Sheer magnitude of the proposed mine activity will have a Reactive cause and effects on the Biology/Ecology systems presently in place. Poin=/non Point pollutants could be detrimen[aT to the area. Proximity of 3 to .i miles from the Town of San Luis, Colorado. Water table (s) 4 ft. to ground level. One mech.or human caused accident could spell disaster to the community. 2. The Rito Seco Watershed is of priority concern because the State of Colorado has as one of the top priorities (Water Conservation). Visualiz~a 2,200 acres, 800 acres open pi[, 900 tons of cyanide, 5000 tons of ore per d:iy, 4 water wells, 70 f[. vide Haul/roads, access roads, buildings and ponds, dust and diesel ex- haust 24 hours a day for '10 years. 3. The proposed county road relocation for their 70 ft. road is in a critical na•~ row intersection of the East and South Drainage area. Also the major haul rr crossing to [he heap leach area with 4 54 inch culverts 100 ft. long will L_ troy the Rito Seco Aquatic Ecosystem. The rito Seco creek viii i>e smothered as [be haul roads viii be adjacent. 4. The CDOW has recently surveyed the area as critical winter range for migratory animals and herds because of the South exposure and clean eater. What happens to the Berds of deer/elk getting into the pits or injured by mir~ning activity. The area is grazing/eater for the small farmers including myself' vho take our cattle/horses their by joint tenancy. The extensiones were desil;ned in the original land rights to give people with livestock eater rights to the Rito Seco. 5. I am not opposed to winning as I have family members in the minriing industry. There are other identified Gold Veins in other areas that are more accessible for the microscopic gold yeild. We should not let this for profit plan proceed at the catastrophic expense of the Watershed and People that male a living off the Land and Water. Respectfully submitted, '~~Cl~~ Prax Ortega~f_~~~-3~rE' 5th generation in San Luis Box 3 San Luis, Older[ Town in Colorado 81152