How you can participate in San Miguel County's Mining Land Use Code update

Climate and environmental news have been overwhelming lately. Many of you may be wondering: What can I do to help locally? Well, we have a five minute task for you!

San Miguel County is currently updating their Land Use Code for Mining. The updated code will have significant impacts for the environment and our communities, and this is an important way to engage locally!

We strongly urge Sheep Mountain Alliance supporters and friends to submit public comments throughout the Land Use Code update process. This is one of the BIGGEST ways you can make a difference locally right now!

Click here for the current Mining LUC Draft

EXAMPLE COMMENT:

Dear San Miguel County Planning Commission,

Thank you for your work updating the mining land use codes and for the opportunity to comment on the current draft. As a community member, I am grateful you are undertaking this important work to find balance between mining and environmental protection in our community.

I would like to highlight several important opportunities to enhance environmental protections:

  • In order to keep our environments and communities safer from the impacts of mining, please consider instituting setbacks between mining and exploration projects and the following:

    • 3 miles from any residence

    • 1 mile from any public building

    • 1 mile from public roads

    • 1 mile from designated trails

    • 1200 feet from riparian zones or year-round streams

    • 0.5 miles from wetlands

  • To the greatest extent possible, please limit activity in critical and sensitive habitats in the high country zone district. While mining exists as an important piece of history in this zone, new mining projects should be strictly limited. The high country zone contains some of our most important ecological resources, as well as incredible view sheds and recreational access. This area deserves to be preserved.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

It is incredibly quick and easy to submit your comments to the Planning Department via email: planning@sanmiguelcountyco.gov

What’s next?

The Planning Commission meeting will be on March 13 in Norwood and via zoom. Sheep Mountain Alliance will be organizing a carpool this day for supporters who are interested in attending the meeting to show their support for these mining LUC updates. It is critical to amass supporters for this meeting to demonstrate how strongly we support implementing these LUC updates!

Please reach out to ruthie@sheepmountainalliance.org for additional details and to secure your spot!

Sheep Mountain Alliance