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MARCH 24, 2011 <br />MAY DAY MINE - SUBMITTAL 1 REVIEW <br />PAGE 2 OF 5 <br />II. Issues <br />A. Need for Site Plan and Narrative <br />A Site Plan and Narrative is needed to describe the overall plans for the site in a thorough but concise <br />manner so that staff, applicant, public, and elected officials can have a common understanding of the <br />project. <br />Site Plan. The overall project appears to be most clearly represented in the "Total Operational Area" <br />figure 3(d)-1. This figure, however, shows the mill as being located at the Idaho area while our <br />understanding is that the mill is being proposed to be located at the May Day level 1 area. A site plan is <br />needed that shows all critical existing and proposed improvements as outlined under subsection III <br />(Submittals) below. <br />Narrative. A narrative is needed to address the overall project and use of the site. The submittal <br />appears to propose that 20-25 employees may work at the site, arriving via passenger vehicle or truck <br />and using porta-potties. As such, sanitary pumping trucks and emergency vehicles will necessarily be <br />needed. The access road - particularly the historic portion on the east of the La Plata River - is steep <br />and with hairpin curves. Multiple-point turns and engine revving is frequently needed to negotiate the <br />road and is likely not possible for high-load vehicles and not safe for routine passenger vehicle access. <br />The narrative needs to describe the types of vehicles that will go all the way to the site and how people <br />or services unable to reach the site will be handled. A full list of items needed in the narrative is <br />outlined under subsection 11 (Submittals) below. <br />B. Employee, Service, and Emergency Vehicle Access to Site <br />As discussed above, both the new unpermitted portion of the access road west of the La Plata River and <br />the historic portion of the access road east of the La Plata River are steep with minimum grades of <br />12%. The historic portion of the road has hairpin curves and grades exceeding 15%. While it is <br />understood that roads accessing mining operations are often in severe terrain and that minimizing <br />disturbance is desirable, the ability of high-load vehicles such as sanitary pumping trucks and <br />emergency vehicles to negotiate the road is unclear. There are safety concerns with employees in <br />passenger vehicles using the road routinely. <br />The applicant may want to consider alternatives to passenger and service vehicles routinely accessing <br />the site. This might include some type of off-road vehicle transport of employees to the mine site, an <br />onsite septic system, a mine rescue team to handle evacuation of personnel to the county road, etc. <br />Currently, FLMFD has stated they can handle 12% grades with isolated short runs of no greater than <br />15%. The International Fire Code requires 30 foot turning radius, and FLMFD has stated they may be <br />able to handle a smaller turning radius. For FLMFD, road widths may go down to 12 feet provided <br />there are pullouts at sufficient intervals. Even with these allowances, the road on the east side of the La <br />Plata River may have to undergo significant improvements to meet the fire district's needs. <br />If meeting this criteria is not feasible, the applicant may want to consider establishing a mine rescue <br />team specific to the mine that would be responsible for getting injured people to the county road where <br />FLMFD could take over. If the applicant goes this route, the County would look for review and <br />acceptance of the mine rescue team and plan by Mining Safety Hazard Administration (MSHA) and/or <br />other relevant agencies. The County also has an Office of Emergency Management (OEM) that would <br />need to review and accept the plan. <br />PLANNING DEPARTMENT • 970.382.6263. • 1060 E. 2ND AVE. • DURANGO, COLORADO • 81301