Laserfiche WebLink
999 <br /> j •P. O. BOX 2414 •DURANGO, COLORADO•A1302.303-382.0421- <br /> i <br /> 4 April 1996 <br /> J. David Holm, -Director <br /> Water Quality Control Division <br /> Colorado Department of Public Health <br /> ? ! and Environment <br /> 14300 Cherry Creek Drive South <br /> t ! Denver, Colorado 00222 <br /> i <br /> Re: Settlement with Sunnyside Gold Corporation <br /> j Dear Mr. Holm, <br /> # ; The Western Mining Action Project has submitted' comments <br /> regarding the proposed settlement with Sunnyside Gold <br /> Corporation on behalf of Mineral Policy Center. We are <br /> j ► sending along this letter to generally highlight a few of our <br /> reactions to the proposed settlement. <br /> First, let me state how much our organization <br /> ( appreciates the time and effort invested by several diverse <br /> interests towards the goal of developing an innovative <br /> approach to protecting water quality in the upper Animas: <br /> j River basin. The Silverton area demonstrates the legacy of <br /> mining operations which did not consider the needs of future <br /> 1 generations. The geochemistry and topography of the :lanil <br /> present additional challenges to defining appropriate <br /> reclamation. Mineral Policy Center commends the pr0 'res6 <br /> I ! ; towards this goal made by agency staff, industry <br /> ! representatives, the Animas River Stakeholders group and <br /> ' local residents. <br /> t This settlement is important. Your own agency <br /> ( acknowledged in its press release that the agreement is <br /> "precedent-settingp . It is for this reason that we need not <br /> only to praise the efforts og many, but also to raise <br /> � - concerns we have with the settlement, as it now stands. ; The <br /> � ! decisions the court and the public make regarding clean-up of <br /> II � <br /> 1 � the Animas River basin will not only effect the river <br /> ( : I ecosystem and its residents for many years to come, but ftlso <br /> will provide a model from which mining reclamation will be <br /> ( defined across the country. <br /> I <br />