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They have not raped the land as I have seen in my 32 years of mining and our reclamation <br />awards are a testament to this. I have seen the destruction of mining in the early days <br />before laws were in place and was a participant in the destruction which I was never <br />proud of. <br />When I look across the fields where we have mined I often think of the destruction of <br />Molybdenum which I grew up in. I think of the hopes of snow in the winter to cover the <br />mining tailings in Leadville and Climax. I think of the spent shale in the valley when I <br />worked for Unocal in the Oil Shale industry. I think of the leach fields of Cripple Creek <br />where there were once aspen trees and deer and bear and elk. I think of the portals of <br />Coal Mines in Loma where the outside was as ugly as the inside. I think of the Silver <br />tailings in California Gulch in Leadville that nothing will grow on. This is the mining <br />that I remember. <br />I am proud that for once in my life I am leaving behind something that will benefit a <br />community that I was able to be part of for 20 years and can show my Grandkids the <br />fields that I helped create. <br />This is a better community because of Western Fuels. Land owners now have land that <br />can be passed from generation to generation that can be truly profitable. [he tractors that <br />were always stuck in the mud and plowing through willows and cat tails and breaking <br />their disks on shelf rock and boulders will be no more. The crops will be better, the <br />alfalfa roots wont need to go 25 feet deep. The irrigation will be in place and the roots <br />won't need to search for water. The shelf rock will be gone and the whole field will be <br />farmable instead of just a portion. The top soil can be shared through out the field and <br />finally every square foot of it will finally produce a crop. <br />I wish I would have been lucky enough to be a land owner in Nucla, Colorado when <br />Western Fuels opened its doors. But, I was lucky to get the job I have had with them and <br />it has been worth millions to me. <br />If the State approves the permit to mine north you have the best Company to do it. They <br />abide by State Regulations and always have. If something is wrong we fix it. All of us. It <br />is pride in our jobs. pride in our community, and knowing that we all reap the benefit of <br />doing it right. <br />Sincerely, <br />Judy Hammond <br />P.O. Box 357 <br />Nucla, Colorado 81424 <br />