PITKIN COUNTY — — A U.S. Forest Service decision that prohibited winter operations of an alabaster and marble mine in the Crystal River Valley has been overturned in an administrative appeal.
An appeal-reviewing officer in the Forest Service found there wasn’t adequate evidence that the mine would have enough of an impact on bighorn sheep to justify the conditions placed on the operation by Aspen-Sopris District Ranger Scott Snelson.
Review officer Sherry Hazelhurst reversed the entire decision notice on operations of the White Banks Mine. That means approval for a new plan of operations, with numerous conditions, is withdrawn, Hazelhurst wrote in her Aug. 2 decision.
“The reversal of the decision means there is no decision,” Snelson said. “We’ll need to make a new decision.”
But Snelson and Walt Brown, a partner in Elbram Stone Co. LLC, have differing opinions on what that means for the mine.
“I think the Forest Service has to issue the permit,” Brown said. “It’s a complete reversal.”
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