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current mining operation, and that the Division of Wildlife had no issues or concerns about species disruption in Trout Creek; that, as requested by the Division of Wildlife, the outflow of the lake created by the operation would be screened to prevent pike infiltration into the Yampa River; that included in the reclamation plan was the stipulation that the lake created would have shallow areas with habitat-diversity plantings, and that five complaints had been received in seven years, one of which pertained to dust. Commissioner Mitsch Bush asked about phasing, stock piles, setbacks, the gas line, measures to save the cottonwoods, and the allocation of the disturbed acreage between operations at the existing pit and the proposed expansion. She also asked for clarification as to the uses of the conveyor system and the bridge over Trout Creek. Mr. Zehner elaborated on the gas line that bisected the property. He indicated the proposed gas line relocation site and said that the State required a minimum of 200 feet between mining operations and existing power or gas lines. An application for a permit had been submitted to the State with the understanding that agreements with both Yampa Valley Electric Association and Xcel Energy would be forthcoming that included 200' setbacks. In regard to the existing operation and the request to expand that area, he said that during a busy building season 40-to-50 trucks were lined up to load products so the site was dangerous. With the proposed expansion, stockpiles and processing could be madE? safer; with extended hours, products could be stockpiled to move products more efficiently and keep up with demands. He noted that the crusher would not run unless products needed to be made. He said that allowing additional crusher hours also allowed time for equipment breakdowns, weather limitations, and equipment maintenance. He reviewed the plan to mine small pie- shaped areas to be excavated to minimize the loss of cottonwood trees. He said that dust did come from the crusher and the crushed product stockpiles, but dust could be mitigated if stockpiles were shorter, which would be feasible if the area were expanded from 25 acres to 35 acres and mined products were moved by conveyor belt to the processing area proposed to be located in the existing mining area. He said that haul roads would be watered or chemically treated for dust abatement but he had not chemically treated stockpiles because no complaints regarding dust had been made. He stated that at the end of the operation a deep pond footprint would exist because material to fill the hole created by the operation was insufficient. He noted that good clean fill was accepted from other locations and used on slopes, but the reality was that a waterbody would be created that could not be completelly filled. Mr. Vanderbloemen claimed that the main reasons that the County limited gravel operations' disturbed areas were for dust and air quality and for visual concerns, both of which were either taken into account in the proposal or not an issue in the petition at hand. He felt that the presence of dust was created by the dump rather than the mine, which was a wet operation and noted that between six and eight homes would be able to see the pit. In regard to Road and Bridge's concerns about the impacts on the haul road, he :Mated that he and the County Attorney would develop an agreement to address those issues, and approval of the permit would be contingent on the signing of that agreement. In regard to the lake created on the expansion area, he stated that the lake would look natural because it would follow the meanders of Trout Creek as well as the contours of the mined hillside. Page 2009-294 May 26, 2009 Routt County Board of County Commissioners' Minutes