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UPPER CLEAR CREEK <br />WATERSHED ASSOCIATION <br />P. O. BOX 3058 <br />IDAHO SPRINGS, CO 80453 <br />June 7, 2011 <br />Mr. Jared Ebert <br />Department of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver CO 80203 <br />Mr. Ebert: <br />This letter is in response to the Notice of Intent to Prospect on the Bear Hug claim, P-2001-013, submitted by <br />Spring Gulch Mining Company. The Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association supports legitimate mining <br />ventures that will maintain or improve water quality in Clear Creek. Clear Creek provides drinking water to <br />300,000 Colorado citizens. This is a highly used and over allocated stream. As such, water quality within <br />this stream is critical to its many users. <br />The Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association is an interested party because potential impacts to water <br />quality in Clear Creek can affect our members in two ways: <br />• If the metals are increased in Clear Creek, our wastewater treatment plants will be required to reduce <br />metals in their outflows even though they are not the source of the change; <br />• Several members take drinking water from sites downstream of the Bear Hug claim site. <br />As this is a fairly small operation, our only concern with respect to water quality has to do with the integrity <br />of the "fire pit" as a waste retention facility. Although 10 tons per year is -a relatively small amount of <br />material, both vein quartz and wall rock in the Idaho Springs District typically contain sulfide minerals that <br />can produce acidic, metal-bearing runoff when weathered. Consequently, some provision should be made to <br />ensure the pit does not leak and is situated so that storm water will not overfill it. Any material extracted <br />should be handled according to best management practices. <br />We strongly suggest the following information be required before prospecting on the Bear Hug claim be <br />permitted: <br />• A description of a plan to prevent leakage from the fire pit; <br />• A plan to prevent storm water from overfilling said pit. <br />Thank you for your consideration of these comments. As a courtesy, we are providing a copy of this letter to <br />the applicant. <br />Sincer , <br />Holly uyck <br />UCCWA Chair <br />cc: Mr. Winters