A petition to halt the reopening and expansion of Caribou Cross Mine has garnered more than 700 signatures as of March 25.
The mine’s operations were paused in 2022 due to heavy metals leaking into water sources and a failure to report water quality data. Now, state regulators are working to determine whether the mine can reopen. The new application proposes a permit area of 205 acres, an increase of nearly 195 acres from the initial permit for 10 acres.
The petition is organized by Maggi Mae Hendricks, whose father ran the mine’s operation for 50 years, according to the Change.org site.
The expansion “threatens to degrade vital land including stripping trees, soil, [and] other long term ecological damages” such as water and air pollution, the petition states. “Nederland, Colorado, known for its pristine landscapes, clean air, and pure water, deserves better.”
The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS) is accepting public comments through April 2 via mail at 1313 Sherman St. Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 or at dnrlaserfiche.state.co.us/Forms/DRMS_Comment.
In other news…
• A fire at Longmont’s Sugarmill property has destroyed a 600-foot-long, two-story building on the site.
First responders received a call about the fire just after midnight Monday, and the building was fully engulfed when they arrived, according to a release from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
“Due to hazardous materials and conditions, fire personnel will not be actively fighting the fire, and it will burn throughout the night,” the Monday release from the sheriff’s office stated.
The fire is now controlled and contained, but is still “smoldering,” Mountain View Fire Rescue spokesperson Rick Tillery said Wednesday.
“As long as there’s no outside intervention, there should be no spread,” he said. Crews will continue to patrol the area.
Tillery said said the fire was “likely” human-caused, but that the investigation is ongoing. This is the fourth fire on the property since 2016, according to reports.
• Electric car registration in Boulder County increased by 42% from 2023 to 2024, according to a new report from the county clerk and recorder.