Royal Gorge Field Office evaluating mineral materials proposal in Chaffee County
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CAÑON CITY, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Royal Gorge Field Office is considering a proposal to mine unconsolidated clay, sand, and gravel material approximately 10 miles north of Salida.
Chaffee County is proposing to develop 40 acres of BLM-managed lands adjacent to the Chaffee County landfill. The mineral materials will be used to meet State of Colorado requirements for daily and final cover on the adjacent, active landfill that is managed by the county. In fiscal year 2019, non-energy minerals on Colorado’s BLM lands generated approximately $151 million in economic output.
“This proposal will help Chaffee County operate the landfill without having to truck cover material from other locations,” said Royal Gorge Field Manager Keith Berger. “We welcome and appreciate the public’s comments as we evaluate the proposal during the scoping process.”
The purpose of the public scoping process is for people to identify any potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action prior to BLM preparing an environmental analysis. This is the first of two public input processes for this application. Please check the ePlanning site at https://go.usa.gov/x734R for updates on where BLM is in the process.
Scoping comments must be received by December 1, 2020, and can be submitted through the BLM ePlanning site at https://go.usa.gov/x734R or mailed to “Chaffee County Minerals Scoping,” 3028 E. Main Street, Cañon City, CO 81212.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or any other personal identifying information in your comments, please be advised that your entire comment, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While individuals may request the BLM to withhold personal identifying information from public view, the BLM cannot guarantee it will be able to do so.
-BLM-
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.