HCCA and RLC quietly watching VCUP

We’ll remind them we are still interested in participating in the process…

The state agency overseeing the amended application by U.S. Energy for a Voluntary Clean-up Plan (VCUP) at the old Keystone Mine site on Mt. Emmons is nearing the deadline of its 45-day review of the proposal. The local organizations closely following the VCUP process plan will not submit any further comments on the proposal at this time but will remind the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) before Friday’s deadline that they are still interested in being part of the process as any VCUP moves forward.

Greg Dyson, High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA, formerly the High Country Citizens’ Alliance) executive director, told the Crested Butte Town Council at its meeting Monday that the organization and the Red Lady Coalition will formally write a letter to the CDPHE simply restating their interest in the issue. He hopes the town will sign the letter as well.
“We are not submitting comments on the amended VCUP at this time,” he said. “The CDPHE has told us the primary issue for them at this point of their review is the eligibility of the land for a VCUP. We are not pursuing that issue any further. We have looked into the other issues and don’t feel we need to expand our previous comments that we submitted during the original application. They are still being considered by the CDPHE.”
Dyson emphasized that at this point, the state agency is doing a narrow review to determine if the site is eligible for a VCUP. “When they start considering the issues of the proposed bulkheads, a monitoring plan and a contingency plan we will probably comment,” he explained. “But right now we don’t have any information or details on those things so we are holding off. We have been assured by the agency that when they have that information, they will pass it along to us and give us the opportunity to comment.
“We also are somewhat optimistic that the new talks that started last week will serve for a better collaboration between the parties with a VCUP,” Dyson continued. “So our plan is to submit a letter along with the Red Lady Coalition and remind the CDPHE that we are still interested in this process.”
CDPHE spokesperson Katherine Lemon said the agency has until Friday to respond to the amended USE VCUP application. There is no deadline for public comments and as more information on the plan comes in, the state will share it with the interested parties.