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Cortez Journal Online -Cortez Colorado <br />JOtTRNAL ~ <br />Navigate Site <br />December 18, 2003 1 <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />News <br />State panel approves pit permit again <br />By Charles Ashby <br />Journal Denver Bureau Chief <br />DENVER For the second time in as many years, the Colorado Mined <br />Land Reclamation Board approved a permit for the Line Camp Gravel <br />Pit on the Dolores River. <br />The decision came after a grueling seven-hour rehearing of a permit <br />that initially was approved in 2001. In August, however, a district <br />judge here ordered the board to rehear the permit. <br />Opponents of the pit located about nine miles northeast of Dolores off <br />state Highway 145 said they were considering appealing the matter in <br />federal court. <br />The pit, which continued to operate despite the pending rehearing, has <br />come under fire because of concerns that it could pollute the river and <br />endanger the lives and property of nearby residents in a flood. <br />The board ruled late Wednesday that opponents' complaints were not <br />substantiated. <br />Still, the board did agree to impose two conditions: <br />•that the owners of the pit conduct another water quality test to see if <br />toxic metals are being released into the river as a result of operations; <br />and <br />•that the pit report any toxic spills to the Division of Minerals and <br />Geology. <br />The second condition is standard procedure that applies to all permits <br />regardless of what they aze for, said Ira Paulin, board chairman. <br />Cortez resident Marilyn Boynton tried to convince the board that its <br />staff used faulty maps in reviewing the permit application. <br />She said that in the event of a 50- or 100-year flood, the pit would <br />Received <br />oEC ~ s 203 <br />puran9oField &ffi~o~,.ccY <br />ptylsion of Nilnft'.-- <br />(_ine~arhP P,~/ <br />rh-2ao+- 001 t/ <br />~~~~~~ <br />J~~~ e~ <br />e~~.L <br />C`j,~' b `n <br />~~ ~~~ ~~ - <br />i9~5~ <br />~~,R9~, <br />,.•~'S~~ <br />:' <br />http://www.cortezj ournal.com/asp-bin/article~enerati on. asp?article type=news&article_... 12/ 18/2003 <br />