HomeMy WebLinkAbout810369.tiff ' :.
, "K!)!
April 22, 1981
Weld County Commissioners tett
453 1st
Greeley, Colorado
Attention:
Rocky Mountain Energy, a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corporation has proposed a "coal
project" which consists of open pit mining or strip mining or swath mining located near
Erie on Highway 52 and Road 5 and more specifically, directly across the street from a
residential neighborhood called Carmacar Ranchetles. I live at 1781 Spruce Drive in
Carmacar and my family has been enjoying this peaceful rural atmosphere for three years.
We paid a high price to live here and we pay exceedingly high taxes for which we glean
very little from Weld County.
I am sure you are aware of this project and must have read or seen reports from the media.
We learned a few details from RME at the April 21 meeting at Erie High School but it seems
that most facts are not "available." The meeting was to give residents an opportunity to ask •
questions and they came prepared. Unfortunately, RME was vague and evasive with responses
being "I don't know;""We're studying that." It was not an informative meeting but certainly
a well-controlled one; controlled by ROMCOE, a problem solving group furnished to us by
RME. ROMCOE is a non-profit unbiased company existing from contributions. RME does •
contribute to ROMCOE.
RMEassures us that all precautions and controls will he maintained throughout the 12-year
project. People here are concerned about the environment, about air pollution, water pollution.
noise pollution and safety. RME gave little concrete evidence that anything was being done
about any of these things. "They are studying it."
This "showcase" mine will have all the modern techniques for controlling and protecting
the environment.
What about the road dust and coal dust?
Water trucks will spray the dust. Is this modern technology? And isn't it wasting
another precious natural resource - water? Can they assure us all of the coal dust
is out of the air we breathe?
• What about contaminating well water and Left Hand Water?
If we contaminate your well, we will "replace" it.
How? If they contaminate all the water in the area, how will they replace it?
What about noise?
You won't be able to hear machinery down in the pits.
What about the noise from the trucks that are making 80 deliveries per day, day
and night?
Why, I wonder, is this even an issue? How can anyone justify the lowering of the quality of
life of hundreds of people in a residential area in exchange for monetary profits for a selfish,
irresponsible few?
I wish the Weld County Commissioners would have accepted the invitation to come to the
meeting Tuesday night so that they would have seen the opposition to the project. I would
certainly be astonished to think that the commissioners would even consider issuing a permit
for such a project.
We are not ignorant of the fact that this project would generate tax dollars for Weld County
but we hope you will consider the moral and environmental issues before monetary advan-
tages.
810369
(PLDI(3
Erie residents are beginning to wonderwiy Union Pacific is interested in this so-called
"small mining project." They asked questions such as.
Will there he a market for the coal?
RME on one occasion said there was a market [or the coal hut contradicted them-
selves later by answering this question
To whom will the coal be sold?
RME: 'We don't know. We don't have a market in the Denver basin."
Will the coal be exported?
RME: No, because the coal is of too low quality.
Apparently there are many reasons behind this project that are being kept secret since it
appears that Union Pacific Corporation spares no expense to study the project and is
willing to spend even more to mine the coal. Yet, it seems, there is doubt as to whether
there is a market for such low-quality coal_ •
What, exactly, is their interest in the small Fric project?
Sincerely •
,
•
Charlotte Kramer
Erie, Colorado
Hello