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1 <br /> <br /> <br />C~ <br />Prax Ortega <br />Box 3 <br />San Luis, Colorado 81152 <br />Ph-719-672-3698 <br />October 3, 1988 <br />Honorable Govenor Roy Romer <br />Senator William Armstrong <br />Congressman Ben N-H Campbell <br />Costilla County Commissioners <br />Malcom Forbes-Trinchera Ranch <br />Gentlemen; <br />III III IIIIIIIIII 111 <br /> <br />nc i r ~saa <br />~.:rG'_hA1A1 {''Jig: UIV;~IcJN <br />RE: SAN LUIS---ENVIRONMENT---FUTURE---CYANIDE <br />WASTE <br />Please assist in [he follow-up of the proposed Cyanide heap leach gold mine <br />proposal by Battle Mountain Gold Company at El Plomo Mine site 5 miles North <br />East of San Luis the Oldest Town in Colorado. <br />The 500 acre mine site is located 5 miles down wind of the peaceful community <br />of San Luis where a majority of the residents have been here fir generations. <br />The proposed mine site is located in the Flood Plain and par[ ~~f the Rito Seco <br />Water Shed. The only park remaining accessible to the people of the once one <br />million acre land gran[ is adjacent to the mine site. <br />Battle Mountain Gold Company has been in the area for the past year. It is <br />incredible the amount of destruction to [he area and [o the stream bed that <br />has already occured. If possible please make an onsite visit to visualize the <br />scope and magn~~tude of this mine proposal and the environmental inpact.and <br />long term effects. A 500 acre open pit mine to who knows what depth will create <br />a long term scar. The approximate 9,000,000 tons of ore to yeild 390,000 ounces <br />of gold and the tons of Cyanide needed in heap leach process will leave another <br />long term scar once [he Gold is extracted and the mine personnel gone. <br />WATER need for this minning operation is indeed an inportant issue since re- <br />alizing the large scale scope and the magn1~[ude of the proposal and the amount <br />water that will be needed. The Ri[o Seco Creek adjacent to the mine site is a <br />tributary to the San Luis Peoples Ditch the oldest Decreed Agriculture Water <br />Rights in the State of Colorado. The Rito Seco Water Shed where the proposed <br />mine site is located is of Vital concern for the Agriculture water use to the <br />small farmers in the area. <br />The Battle Mountain Gold Mine Company is purchasing adjacent property to the <br />mine site for possible expansion etc. Some low tech jobs are already being off- <br />ered in apparent attempt to split the community on the short term economic gain. <br />Decisions made now to Preserve and Protect our Natural Environment (beautiful <br />mountains, clean water and fresh air) will be vital to the survival and Future <br />of generations to come. San Luis has been settled and lived in °or more than <br />200 years because of the Natural Resources and Clean Environment. <br />Clean industry is welcomed to the area. <br />Thank you for your consideration and concern. cc:Sena[or Bob Pastore <br />Representative Lewis Entz <br />R~ectc fully ,submitted, Division III Water <br />Pra~~rtae/%~'ga~~/ <br />