Citizens’ Alliance objects, calls for open review process
Rocky Mountain Industrials, which stopped mining operations at its Glenwood Springs limestone quarry in December and dismantled and removed equipment in January, submitted a proposal to Colorado’s mining agency last week seeking to expand its quarry permit area by 18.10 acres.
RMI submitted the proposal to the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) on Jan. 29 as a Technical Revision to its existing state mining permit. It seeks state approval to add 18.10 acres to its current state-approved boundary of 38 acres, for a total of 56.10 acres.
The Rocky Mountain Industrials limestone quarry, quiet and partially dismantled, on Jan. 27, 2025.
Photo by Ginny Minch
Under state mining regulations, however, a proposed acreage expansion must be reviewed as a Permit Amendment rather than a Technical Revision.
What’s the difference? A Permit Amendment is a more open process with greater public review opportunities involving DRMS staff and the state Mined Land Reclamation Board. A Technical Revision is typically handled directly between the mine operator and DRMS staff.
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the Glenwood Springs Citizens’ Alliance sent a letter to top staff at DRMS asking the agency to reject RMI’s proposal as a Technical Revision and to instead process the proposal as a Permit Amendment.
“We expect officials at DRMS to do the right thing and require RMI to seek a Permit Amendment for this 18-acre expansion proposal. The Glenwood Springs community deserves a full explanation for what is a nearly 50 percent increase in the size of the quarry, and a forum to express its views on the proposal,” said Jeff Peterson, president of the Citizens’ Alliance.
RMI documents explaining expansion withheld as confidential
No other information has been posted by DRMS to its online documents archive to explain what RMI has in mind for the additional 18 acres.
The online archive only presents a seven-page application form filed by RMI, which requests the 18-acre expansion and pays an application fee of $216.
The Technical Revision application form refers to a confidential document for the Technical Revision and a confidential map. Neither of these documents were made available as of midday today, Feb. 6.
Citizens’ Alliance also raises boundary discrepancy issue
The GSCA’s letter to the state mining agency also takes up the longstanding discrepancies between state and federal agencies on the quarry’s boundaries. While the state mining agency recognizes a permit boundary for 38 acres, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) mine boundary is 15.9 acres.
One of several permit violations cited by BLM in 2022 was the quarry’s occupation of land well beyond its federal permit boundary.
The Citizens’ Alliance Feb. 5 letter to Colorado DRMS also asks the state agency to withhold any approvals unless and until RMI secures the necessary approvals from BLM.
