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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR02-124 Black Gore Creek Action Plane' • r Commissioner moved adoption of the following Resolution: BOARD OF COUNTY COMNIISSIONERS COUNTY OF EAGLE, STATE OF COLORADO RESOLUTION N0.2002- EXPRESSING EAGLE COUNTY'S SUPPORT FOR THE IlVIPLEMENTATION OF THE SEDIlVIENT CONTROL ACTION PLAN DEVELOPED BY THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR BLACK GORE CREEK AND REQUESTING THAT THE CREEK BE ADDED TO THE 303(d) LIST OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT WHEREAS, Black Gore Creek is a 10 mile long stream, which winds back and forth under Interstate 70 from the summit of Vail Pass to the confluence with Gore Creek in Vail; and WHEREAS, the application on Interstate 70 of over 300,000 tons of traction sand in the past thirty years has significantly degraded the high alpine waterway of Black Gore Creek; and WHEREAS, Interstate 70 was sited by the Federal Department of Transportation without fully comprehending or planning for the consequences of maintenance activities ofthat decision; and WHEREAS, in many places the sand is now four to six feet deep; and WHEREAS, the traction sand has migrated into Black Gore Creek, smothered vegetation, killed root systems of trees, eliminated healthybug habitat, and filled the spawning beds of the native fish species; and WHEREAS, the traction sand has reduced wetland areas located along the interstate and destroyed these valuable protected ecosystems by covering them in sand; and WHEREAS, traction sand migration downstream will eventually impact the Gold Medal Trout Fishery in Vail, which contributes $20 million annually to our local economy; and WHEREAS, traction sand has degraded the water quality of Black Gore Creek causing added costs associated with providing clean drinking water; and WHEREAS, traction sand accumulates in Black Lakes, encroaching upon the storage capacity of water supply reservoirs that serve the Town of Vail and are used to maintain in-stream flows; and WHEREAS, the Colorado Department of Transportation has prepared a Sediment Control Action Plan for the Black Gore Creek I-70 Corridor, which assesses and analyzes the Black Gore Creek corridor, and identifies potential measures that could be utilized to help control sedimentation; • • and WHEREAS, Black Gore Creek has been monitored for listing as an impaired stream segment under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMIVIISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF EAGLE, STATE OF COLORADO: THAT, Eagle County strongly supports the implementation of the Sediment Control Action Plan and calls upon the Colorado Transportation Commission acting through the Colorado Department of Transportation to ensure that this important environmental project is included in all alternatives being considered by the I-70 Programmatic Environmental Impact Study and worthy of accomplishment; and THAT, necessary actions be taken to ensure that the Black Gore Creek Sediment Control Project is included in the State of Colorado's Twenty Yeaz Transportation Plan with a unique project number cleazly identifying the project as an I-70 7`" Pot project; and THAT, Eagle County requests that Black Gore Creek be added to the Section 303(d) list of the federal Clean Water Act as an impaired stream due to sediment to enhance opportunities for implementation of remedial measures identified in the Sediment Control Action Plan; and THAT, Eagle County supports and applauds the Colorado Department of Transportation's actions to increase funding for environmental clean-up; and THAT, Eagle County urges the federal government to provide funding over and above that funding level which is normally allocated for transportation purposes to the State of Colorado by specifically designating funds to implement the Sediment Action Control Plan. MOVED, READ AND ADOPTED by the azd of County Commissioners of the County of Eagle, State of Colorado, this ~ jd,~ day o , 2002. ~~~~ ~~~ oe ATTEST: ~ COUNTY OF EAGLE, STATE OF COLORADO, By and Through Its BOARD OF COUNTY" COMMISSIONERS _i By: Clerk to the Boaz o County Commissioners Commissioner Tom .Stone Commissioner Commissioner seconded adoption of the foregoing resolution. The roll having been called, the vote was as follows: Commissioner Michael L. Gallagher Commissioner Arn M. Menconi Commissioner Tom C. Stone _~~,,Q J This Resolution passed by ~ ' Q vote of the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Eagle, State of Colorado.