Archuleta County is partnering with the Pagosa District of San Juan National Forest to put a gravel mine pit and rock crushing operation on FSR 738, just off of FSR 37 – Jackson Mountain Road. The proposed site is less than 2,000 feet from the nearest homes in San Juan River Village (SJRV) and designed for placement in the middle of a newly planned mountain bike trail system. The gravel pit would support both Archuleta County and USFS needs and be operated from May through November.
The USFS has estimated the number of large gravel trucks to be more than 20 per day — one every 24 minutes, every single day, Monday-Friday — that will share this small forest road with mountain recreation users.
The mining operation may create a severe health, safety, environmental, wildlife, and economic problems for not just the SJRV neighborhood, but, for all who live near and travel on HWY160 north of Pagosa and enjoy Jackson Mountain for recreation.
What We Know
Archuleta County contracted with Wasteline Inc in 2021 to coordinate a joint partnership with NFS through a “Free Use” permit from the Pagosa Ranger USFS office for the gravel extraction at the FSR738 site. In the late summer months of 2022, the NFS added the proposed gravel pit to the Jackson Mountain Landscape Project — primarily a plan for managed mountain bike trails in the Jackson Mountain area up to that point. The USFS has held several informative meetings with the San Juan River Village in the fall of 2022 about both the mountain biking trails, which we support, and the gravel pit, which being 2,000 feet from the neighborhood, we strongly oppose.
The USFS has assured us that the decision by USFS on the Mountain Bike Trail System and the Gravel Pit are mutually exclusive.
Public Comment Period
As part of the NEPA process, the Pagosa District of the USFS officially announced on Jan 10, 2023 the beginning scoping period “public comment” that will begin on January 10, 2023 and end on February 23, 2023. Scoping comments must be submitted by no later than February23,2023.
In addition, an in-person comment opportunity is scheduled for February 2, 5pm–7pm at the Ross Aragon Community Center, 451 Hot Springs Blvd., Pagosa Springs.
We have voiced our objections to both the USFS and Archuleta County and have even provided them with alternative sites that would meet the resourcing requirements but would also avoid densely populated neighborhoods or present potentially disastrous traffic safety situations. There are many in our community that already have compromised immune systems that will suffer from the dust that will sweep through our neighborhood caused by the mining operation and very heavy trucking use — as might the cyclists as well, on the planned trails. Wildlife that we have grown accustomed to seeing will be impacted. The noise from the gravel pit and the increase in vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian use and possible accidents as a result, will cut deeply into the quality of life that we all counted on when we moved to Pagosa Springs. Studies show that nearby property values will go down as a result, especially those in nearest proximity of the gravel pit.
With over 1,000,000 acres of San Juan National Forest, we cannot understand why this site — so close to homes — was ever chosen in the first place, but we will continue to work with USFS and Archuleta County through the NEPA process to have our voice heard.
Please support us!
How Can You Help:
- Please join the community in fighting this gravel pit location by signing the petition, signing up for our feed on our website, filing an online complaint, and contacting the District Ranger, Josh Peck and our County Commissioners directly via phone and email. Contact info can be found on our website.
- Sign the online petition here: https://chng.it/bGmnjqXK82
- Whom to contact (website) here: https://www.stopthejacksonmtnpit.com/ The website also includes information and resources provided by the USFS
Dave OKeefe, Pagosa Springs, CO
Tony Baker, Pagosa Springs, CO
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