Letter: Tell Eagle County to deny Rincon Mine’s appeal
If you care about our rivers, wildlife and people, please write the Eagle County Planning Commission before May 18 at planningcomments@eaglecounty.us, urging them to deny the Rincon Mine an exception to the Dotsero Community Plan. This project, though slightly changed in its new iteration, is still a hard rock mine near the confluence of the Eagle and Colorado Rivers and is in absolute opposition to the DCP, a plan that Eagle County helped the citizens of Dotsero create for the future of their community.
Eagle County planning staff has twice determined that the mine does not meet the DCP and would need an exception to the plan to move forward. The Planning Commission upheld this Staff Recommendation the first time, Jan. 6, 2021, and should do so this time by denying Rincon’s appeal for an exception to the DCP.
Page 35, pp6 of the DCP says, “avoid heavy industry.” Heavy machinery, air quality, visual impacts, truck traffic and impacts to wildlife would threaten the quality of life of local residents, some of the most vulnerable citizens of our valley. They deserve to enjoy healthy air, land, and water as much as those who can afford to live in Vail. Allowing this mine that flies in the face of the community plan would be a blatant example of social injustice!
Dotsero is a small community uniquely positioned to grow as an outdoor recreation hub and be a large part of Colorado tourism, but it can’t do that with a gravel mine in its back yard. Please write the Planning Commission at planningcomments@eaglecounty.us and ask them to deny the Rincon Mine’s appeal for an exception to the Dotsero Community Plan.
William F. Schmick IV
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