CARBONDALE —The latest decision in a convoluted series of rulings and appeals regarding operation of an alabaster and marble mine in the Crystal River Valley may pave the way for mining activity sooner rather than later.
Brian Ferebee, deputy regional forester for resources with the U.S. Forest Service, has declined to exercise discretionary review of a prior decision that, in essence, rejected limitations on wintertime operations at the White Banks Mine in order to protect bighorn sheep.
In the prior decision, issued in early August, review officer Sherry Hazelhurst found there wasn’t adequate evidence that the mine, also known as the Mystic Eagle 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.
Walt Brown, a Glenwood Springs attorney and partner in Elbram Stone Co. LLC, which owns the mine, received word of Ferebee’s decision last week and said he hopes the end result is the resumption of mining activity in what would be Pitkin County’s only working, underground mine.
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