St. Charles Mesa farmers and residents fighting proposed gravel mine
An ongoing opposition to a gravel mine in Pueblo County may finally be resolved tonight.
Earlier this month a group of unhappy farmers and Avondale residents filled the Pueblo County Commissioner chambers in the third hearing of a proposed gravel mine near the Badger Hills area in Pueblo County.
The Pueblo County Planning Commission will make the decision Monday evening after a lengthy fight against the mine and its owner.
The meeting is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. at the Pueblo County Courthouse Commissioners’ Chambers.
Opponents of the mine have several concerns — that the 70 trucks leaving the pit per day would pose a threat to children. A proposed haul route travels past schools. The mine could contaminate the Bessemer Ditch, the lifeblood to the many farms on the St. Charles Mesa. The pit could disrupt wildlife in the area, lower home values and generally just make for an uncomfortable living situation by kicking up dust into the air.
The group is fighting a gravel mine for the third time since the early 2000s. The last two proposals were shot down by the county — one resulted in a lawsuit.
The company seeking the special use permit from the county, Fremont Paving, already operates one mine off of 36th lane. Residents around the current mine told the commission about the dust and the trucks that fill the roads.
Negotiations of the mining details has resulted in some farmers jumping on board with the mine.
Others have been on board since the beginning — they are speculated to receive payments from Fremont Paving if the pit goes in because of their proximity to the haul route.
PULP is investigating this proposed mine, its political intersects and the actual impact the mine would have on the area (the land would return to normal grazing use after the 10–15 year life of the mine). The state has deemed the land of no significant ecological integrity.
But this is what we know for sure right now: There would be some benefit to Colorado schools through the land lease, around $1.8 million over the course of the life of the mine.
Economic research from a CSU-Pueblo professor says the closer a gravel mine is to its source the more economic sense it makes. Hauling gravel is expensive.
Gravel is becoming more expensive, and more supply would mean lower prices. Pueblo County confirmed to PULP that it would consider buying gravel from the proposed mine. It is already buying out of the existing mine on 36th lane.
The state has already signed off on the pit, so the county is the last hurdle for Fremont Paving.
