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?IM?SsS <br />LYNN M. PADGETT <br />Ok / O? K. KEITH MEINERT <br />1 4, 4 ? ? a?o HEIDI M. ALBRITTON <br />I JU UAl y COMMISSIONERS <br />541 4th Street a P.O. Box C Ouray, Colorado 81427 a 970.325.7320 325.4961 o Fax 970.325.0452 <br />April 19, 2010 RECEIVED <br />0: 2010 APR 2 3 219 t/ <br />Division of Reclamation Mining Et Safety v0;v gn GRAND JUG: r ; .. , 34 :3 OFF:iC_E <br />Attn: Steve Shuey 1Ainir9 and St ty Dltfi SON OF <br />101 S. 3rd Street, Suite 301 RFCLAMA l'am '} trill ?? `F <br />Grand Junction, CO 81501 <br />Dear Mr. Shuey: <br />Issues related to a pending application for mineral exploration in Ouray County have highlighted the <br />importance of having a cooperative, collaborative working relationship with your agency. As you know, <br />your staff is currently reviewing the application submitted by the Mt. Sneffels Mining Company for <br />mineral exploration activities in the Yankee Boy Basin. Ouray County Land Use staff has been working <br />closely with representatives from your agency on issues relative to Ouray County. <br />The potential off-site impacts of this exploration activity suggest the very real need for all agencies to <br />coordinate their processes with all other affected agencies and local governments. We have noted the <br />potential for significant impacts to Ouray County as a result of this exploration activity. The most <br />serious impacts expected are deterioration and damage to Ouray County Road 361 and the negative <br />economic impact this activity will have on the tourist industry in Ouray County. <br />We respectfully maintain that no thorough review of the pending application be completed without <br />input from Ouray County representatives about the serious impacts this project will have and possible <br />mitigation measures to lessen such impacts. Therefore, we request that no final decision on this <br />application be made until Ouray County has been provided the opportunity to brief your agency on the <br />impacts of this project to ensure that appropriate mitigation measures have been addressed. In that <br />regard, written comments will be forwarded to you as soon as possible and we would ask that Ouray <br />County staff be advised of any site visits that you have scheduled or planned in order that they may <br />accompany your personnel. <br />We appreciate the cooperative relationship that we have with your agency on issues related to Ouray <br />County. This particular application emphasizes the need to continue working closely on areas of <br />concern. In that regard, we would like to suggest that a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") <br />setting forth a review process for similar types of applications or activities may be in order. We will be <br />contacting you in the near future to schedule a time and date to discuss possible terms of an MOU. <br />Thank you for your attention and consideration of our suggestions. <br />Sincere , IPA <br />Lynn M. adgett <br />Chair <br />pc: Travis Marshall <br />Tammy Randall-Parker, U.S. Forest Service