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Herb and Virginia Acord 7541 County Road 26 3/4 Longmont, CO 80504 (303) 776 -2112 e -mail: hgrbOmesanetworks,net Sent via e-mail to: eric.scott@state.co.us February 19, 2014 Dear Mr. Scott, rN_C200 ? —all' In 2010, Varra Companies, Inc. was issued a permit for open pit gravel and sand mining near our farm. Heintzelman Project mining permit #M2009018. We began experiencing fluctuating welt water flow and contacted the Colorado Mine Land Reclamation Board expressing our concerns regarding the damaging effects to our underground water supply from these mining activities. At that time you advised us to write a letter apprising the board of the situation. Since the mining operations began we have experienced well water supply fluctuations so extreme that we cannot provide water to our livestock or home. in October 2013 due to shortage of well water for our livestock, during extreme winter weather, we were forced to manually dig a ditch to divert running water from the irrigation ditch to water our livestock. Our water well was dug in 1946 and is 16 feet deep. The well has sufficiently supplied our family and livestock with water, now the well has gone dry. We were forced to apply for an emergency well permit (State of Colorado permit # 35646 -A) to dig a deeper well in order to supply water to our home and livestock. The well water supply is used 85% for livestock, 15% for home use. A natural spring has been on this land and supplied water since 1918; the spring has gone dry since the open pit mining began. Over many years the natural spring created wetlands, in the last year the wetlands have dried. Beehives, natural wildlife, plants and livestock count on the wetlands to survive. We are extremely concerned about the potential for water contamination and the current damage being caused to the beautiful natural habitat that is a historical part of this area. We have requested from Varra Companies, Inc. cooperation, reimbursement for our expenses and a plan to mitigate further damage to our water supply, ecosystem and agricultural land. They claim no obligation to us based on a domestic well opinion from Brad Janes with Awes, LLC. We request the Board inspect the mining site and require the operator of the mine to guarantee we will experience no contamination to our water supply, require them to preserve the natural habitat, prevent further or long term damage to the precious ecosystem and preserve our agricultural land. Sincerely, Herbe cord RECEIVED Farmer - r EB 2 5 2014 V ' DIVISION OF RECLAMATION MINING AND SAFETY