2013-04-17_PERMIT FILE - M2013007 (3)

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Division of Reclamation Safety & Mining 1313 Sherman St., Rm.215 Denver, CO 80203 April 24, 2013 Gentlemen: Sincerely, M argaret T. Zanin 65010 Solar Rd. Montrose, CO 81401 970 - 252 -8139 pegpzan@aol.com 7 . - Ko /3 007 RE CEIVED APR 12 2 013 IV iN OF L4 NGAN SAFE ON The possibility of a gravel mine doesn't bother me. They can be made socially acceptable but the possibility of an asphalt plant seems really over the top. That has got to make awful stinks. I have trouble breathing as it is and have to use supplemental oxygen at this elevation. Now you want to poison my air. My daughter has spent the past 2 years fighting for her life with a particularly difficult form of cancer. She is still totally disabled but is making headway toward being a normal person. This cancer is known to be associated with chemical pollution. Your proposal will kill her. And what about the birds? We have operated a rescue ranch for animals and birds for many years. We have in indoor aviary with about a dozen birds, 4 of which came from the Gabriel Foundation because they couldn't place these birds and didn't have room to keep them so we were asked to foster them. Their veterinarians stress the need for clean air in the birds environment. We're not even allowed to clean the glass in the aviary with Windex because it gives off vapors that will make the birds sick. What will happen to them with an Asphalt Plant on the other side of the hill. And what about migrating birds? This is a flyway for migrating birds. The great blue herons, the whooping cranes and many other species will have to change their flight plan and we will lose the thrill of seeing them coming through. You may think this area is not heavily populated and therefore not much of an interference. Don't by deceived. There are approximately 60 homes just in Duckett Draw (immediately north of your proposed asphalt plant. There are literally hundreds of homes also tucked into the hillsides and valleys. We get very strong winds, often from the south. They will sweep the fumes from the asphalt directly to us! What will this do to our property values? The assessments on our homes will decrease and the corresponding taxes will drop causing a loss of revenue to the County. The question arises, would you want a stinky asphalt plant in your back yard? I have to believe the answer would be no. If you destroy the beauty and the cleanliness of our "back yard" it will destroy our property values and our quality of life. That will impact revenue to support the County as well as influence the voting preferences of the residents. We'll have a daily reminder of who caused the demise of our way of life.