County Commissioners Approval Letter Facts

Dear Board of County Commissioners,

I am writing you to approve Rincon Materials Special Use Permit for a gravel mine that is carefully concealed on private property near 1-70 in Dotsero, Colorado.

RINCON FACTS:
The private-property owners and partners of Rincon Materials have worked with:

• Rare Earth Science: an environmental and natural resources consulting firm so that we can conscientiously and properly develop with minimal impact to the river and riverfront land.
• Eagle River Watershed Council - now the Eagle River Coalition: to ensure the water quality monitoring and the life of the project.
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: to ensure stewardship of the environmental cleanup, safety and sustainability of the project.
• Colorado Parks and Wildlife: to evaluate the project’s potential risks and resolve any concerns relative to the beauty, cleanliness, safety and sustainability of the project.

Please note that the proposed gravel project, always a precursor to a community’s growth, is located by countless businesses including:

• Casey concrete, a construction storage yard, Sage Outfitters, a self-storage site, and a millwork shop—all vital community businesses. The project is adjacent to the upper Colorado Recreation parking lot with access to recreationalists – which we all are.
• There is already a railroad line between the river and the gravel siter running 10-12 trains a day. Additionally, there is a 38-acre conservation easement from the river to the gravel site with a 110' natural ridge serving as a visual barrier. Both hiding the project from view while serving to protect the river.
• Our plan conscientiously addresses mitigation procedures including rolling reclamation plans to minimize visual impacts. There are removable conveyors to minimize noise and dust. There is consideration for wildlife passages to minimize the disturbance of migration patterns. Last limited months to mine have been put in place to address migration patterns.
• The project is consistent with the Dotsero Community Plan and has gone through all suggested reforms to meet the concerns of the community and staff.

In closing, please know that gravel prices in Eagle County are three times higher than the national average. Absent our development of the gravel project, costs for essentials in community growth including employee housing, new and remodeled homes and improved infrastructure will continue to escalate, furthering the costs of living in our valley. A USGA survey completed states new local gravel ensures competition can reduce costs by 20%. We need economic Fairness!

With all these facts I support Rincon Materials proposal and ask that you approve this Special Use permit. Thank you.

Sincerely,

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