Day One Lunch

 

Mayor’s Welcome

 

Bud Elliott, Mayor of the City of Leadville

Bud Elliott moved to Leadville 13 years ago following a career in mental health nursing in Kansas City, Mo. and the surrounding area.  Beginning in 1995 Bud served on many local boards.  In 2000 Bud was elected to City Council and in 2004 he was elected Mayor.

Keynote Speakers

 

Wayne Murdy – Newmont Mining Company

 

T.Allan Comp

Jo Hanson, the pioneering public artist in San Francisco, once described T. Allan Comp as "a relaxed blend of John Muir, John Dewey and John the Baptist." He has been profiled by the Chicago Center for Arts Policy in its Great Arts Innovators: Great Writers series, holds a Ph.D. in the History of Technology, worked for several years in cultural resources with the National Park Service, then as a developer of historic properties and then went to work for a regional Heritage Area in western Pennsylvania where he invented the AMD&ART Project. He is the winner of multiple awards in both regional and national arenas, including the first EPA Phoenix Award ever given to a mine-scarred lands project for community impact.

Day Two Lunch

Yesterday you heard an academic approach to mining community solutions.  Today you will hear from two speakers what they have done in their communities to smooth out the boom and bust cycle.

Mike Whitt, Executive Director, Mingo County Redevelopment Authority

Executive Director of the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority since 1990.
1975 Graduate of Marshall University, with BS Degree in P.E./Health.
1988 Graduate of Marshall University, with Master’s Degree in Education Administration. Taught school in Mingo County for 5 years. Served as West Virginia House of Delegate Member for 1 ½ terms. Former Chairman of the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority. Member of the WV State Recreational Trails Advisory Board. Member of the WV Economic Development Council. Member of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce. Member of the Williamson Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees

Day Three Lunch

So far at our luncheons we have heard examples for a framework for of community planning from Allan Comp and have seen from Mike Whitt how to utilize that framework to put something on the ground in mining communities.  However the solutions that we have seen have been created in a box of Federal and State laws and regulations created by the legal and traditional scientific communities.  Now we would like to take the opportunity to expand the box….

TBA

Individual Tracks

The theme of the conference is “Communities Talking to Communities.”  The difference between the tracks is a subtle flavoring difference.  Track One is flavored with local government and historic preservation.  Track Two is flavored with governmental agencies and non-profits.

Track One. 

When the Bottom Falls Out Track 1 Session 1, Oct 3, 1:15-2:15 pm

Downturns in the mining industry can empty classrooms and hospital beds, drain capital improvement funds, and result in vacant storefronts, while dramatically reducing budgets for maintaining roads, communications systems, emergency services, and community infrastructure. What have other communities learned in coping with the loss of their primary economic engine?

 

Russ Tippett

 

Mike Conlin

s the principal of Conlin Associates, a Colorado based Resource Planning firm specializing in land use planning and the facilitation of community partnership building to promote the preservation and wise use of the natural, scenic, recreational, and historic resources that form the foundation for sustainable eco-tourism development. His resume includes the planning and design of award winning National Recreational Trails; National Scenic and Historic Byways; regional parks and open space initiatives; historic preservation and public education projects; and wetland, watershed and fisheries enhancements.

 

Bill Sniffin

 

Making do with less.  Track 1 Session 2, Oct 3, 2:30 – 3:30 pm

Acme Mega-Mining just pulled up stakes and took half your good paying jobs and 60% of your tax revenue with them. Your assessed valuation has just tanked. You’ve cut basic services to the bone, but you still can’t make tax revenues cover the cost of maintaining a respectable quality of life for the remaining population of your community. What are your local government’s options?

 

Harry Dale

I am finishing my first term as County Commissioner in Clear Creek County.  I am serving in my second one year term as the Colorado Counties Mountain District President.  I am Vice Chair of the Colorado Counties Tourism, Resorts and Economic Development Steering Committee for the second year.  I am a member of the Denver Regional Council of Governments Board and Metro Vision Issues Committee for the third year.  I am Vice Chair of the Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association for the second year.  I also served for a short time as Co-Chair of the I-70 Central Mountain Coalition.

I am an Industrial Engineering graduate of the University of Dayton.  I have worked as a Technician and Manager in Broadcast Television Operations, and as an Applications, Systems and Project Engineer and Project Manager in Telecommunications since the early 1980’s and moved to Colorado from Connecticut in 1997.

Prior to being elected County Commissioner in November 2002, I was a Project Manager for ADC Telecommunications.  Although most of my projects centered on the deployment of cable telephony services, my last project was the installation and turn up of a digital video network for Qwest to service the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.  This network spanned nearly one third of the State of Utah and provided audio and video circuits for national and international broadcasters and state and federal government agencies.

 

Russell McConnell

was born in Bisbee, Arizona in 1947, and graduated from Bisbee High School in 1965.  He worked in the underground mines for Phelps Dodge Corporation prior to enlisting in the United States Navy.  In the Navy he was a heavy equipment operator in the Seabees, and served a one-year tour of duty in Viet Nam.  Russell received education at Cochise Community College and Northern Arizona University, worked for Phelps Dodge Corporation in Morenci, Arizona where he completed a Machinist Apprenticeship, and gained surface mining and smelting experience. 
Currently employed as the Public Works Director of the City of Bisbee, Russell has overseen a number of infrastructure projects, including a $32 million sewer rehabilitation project, and been involved in the funding of those projects.

 

Zeke Ward

Born in Pueblo, Colorado in 1950 and raised in Monte Vista, Colorado graduating from Monte Vista High School in 1968.  Attended Rochester Institute of Technology for one year before enlisting in the United States Air Force.  During that time he served one year in Viet Nam and was honorably discharged in 1974.  After completing apprenticeship with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Jointers he was awarded journeyman status in 1975.  Returned to Monte Vista in 1976 and eventually moved to Creede, CO in 1979 where he currently resides with his wife Dawn and two sons Kris, and Colin.  Zeke is the Manager (hired hand), for the Red Mountain Ranch sits on the Board of County Commissioners for Mineral County.  He is also; Chairman of Mineral County  Republicans, Chairman of the Willow Creek Reclamation Committee, Chairman of the Airport Advisory Committee, Vice Chairman of the Mineral County Fairgrounds Association, and a board member for Mineral County Economic Development Inc.  In the past he has served as; Past President Mineral County/Creede Chamber of Commerce, Past Chairman Creede Planning and Zoning Board, Past Chairman Mineral County Board of Adjustments, Vice Chairman School Board, Past Chairman Days of 92 Committee, Past Chairman Creede/Mineral County Master Plan Steering Committee.

 

There’s gotta be another way.Track 1, Session 3, Oct 3, 3:45 – 4:45 pm

You’ve tapped all of the usual sources of funding available for recharging your local economy and it’s time to start thinking outside the box. What are some of the alternative funding routes taken by other communities to get back on their feet?

 

Joe Cox, Program Director for the Colorado Brownfields Foundation. 

Mr. Cox provides technical assistance, strategic research, and educational services to communities interested in brownfields redevelopment.  Mr. Cox has developed and coordinated regional brownfields workshops for public, private and nonprofit stakeholders.  He provides oversight for CBF’s Environmental Due Diligence technical assistance program under which he manages environmental consulting contracts and is liaison to local governments receiving assistance.  Mr. Cox’s responsibilities at CBF include managing public relations for CBF projects and events.  Additionally, he provides site specific real estate analysis and research in support of CBF’s services.  Joe's prior experience includes Faculty Liaison and Chair of the Recycling Committee for the Colorado Public Interest Research Group at the University of Colorado and he holds a bachelors degree in economics from the University of Colorado with an emphasis on environmental policy.

 

Michael D. Wisdom, Executive Director San Luis Valley Development Resources Group, Inc., Alamosa, CO

Michael is extremely active in community/economic development groups on a national, statewide and local level. Some of his organizational membership services include: Serving as an executive board member of the National Rural Development Partnership, as past Chairman of the Colorado Rural Development Council as well as a current executive board member, past member of Governor Owens’ Wind Working Committee, as current trustee for the Creede Repertory Theatre, the Board of the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Foundation, Advisory Board of the San Luis Valley Nature Conservancy, Vice-Chairman of the Del Norte Hospital Board/Valley Citizens Foundation for Health Care Incorporated, Alamosa Community Development Corporation, Past member of the Governor’s Interregional Council on Smart Growth, the Executive Board of the Colorado Association of Non Profit Organizations, and the Colorado Healthy Communities Council. Michael’s personal beliefs for development are based in the existing human capital within an environment and he has a preference for sustainable and compatible jobs created on value-added principals.
Michael D. Wisdom is the Executive Director of the San Luis Valley Development Resources Group, Inc. (SLVDRG). The Valley’s development group operates as a Colorado nonprofit corporation with federal 501(C) (3) tax status and takes a very proactive role in community and economic development. The consolidated group consists of the San Luis Valley Council of Governments, the San Luis Valley Economic Development Council, and the San Luis Valley Regional Development and Planning Commission. Examples of SLVDRG’s programs include; four types of Revolving Loan Funds, thirty-seven nonprofit Enterprise Zone projects, and management of the Economic Development Administration Planning Grant. The group concentrates on incubation of regional infrastructure programs like the 911 Authority Board, Trails and Recreation Master Plan, and the GIS/GPS Authority.

 

John Galusha

Education: 

University of Southern Colorado, B.S.C.E.T. 1988
Jones Real Estate College, Broker Associate 1995
Oklahoma University, Economic Development Institute, 2005
Major Interests:
Economic Diversification of rural Colorado, Environmental Conscientiousness, Alternative Energy, Technology-led Agriculture, Systems Integration, Strategic Planning, Leadership Development
Previous Experience:
Public Infrastructure Planning, Land Development, Traffic and Transportation Development Issues, Industrial Construction, Military Service
Affiliations:
International Economic Developers Council – Member
Colorado Rural Development Council – Advisory Board
Economic Developers Council of Colorado – Member
American Planners Association – Member
Pueblo 2010 Commission – Transportation Committee and Business Committee Representative
Pueblo West Metro District – Former Director

 

Collective Problem Solving.  Track 1, Session 4, Oct 3, 5:00 – 6:00 pm

Share your community’s success stories and build on what you’ve learned by joining in an open discussion of the day’s topics.

 

Lee Scharf – Moderator

Ms. Lee Scharf is the founder of MESA, LLC, Mediated and Environmentally Sustainable Action, located in Silver Plume, Colorado.  She grew up in California mining country and then on the Navajo Nation in Fort Defiance, Arizona.  She holds a B.S. degree from Cornell University and an M.A. from Antioch University in environmental conflict resolution (ECR).  Ms. Scharf worked as a mediator and facilitator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C. for 15 years, first in the Superfund Enforcement program and then in the Office of General Counsel where she mediated tribal and mining issues involving federal agencies and other stakeholders.  In 1998 she introduced collaborative problem solving processes into EPA’s Brownfields program and in 2004 into a broader multi-agency federal initiative which attempts to link federal resources with local mining community remediation and preservation needs.  Ms. Scharf’s ECR Taxonomy and Guide was published by the American Bar Association and presented at the 2002 Earth Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.  She served as a consultant for the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency as they considered incorporating alternative dispute resolution mechanisms into their judicial system to address mining issues in particular.  In 2006 she moved to Colorado to work directly with communities, colleges and tribal nations as an independent practitioner.  Ms. Scharf has three grown children, all of whom work in environmentally-related professions, occasionally joining her on MESA projects.

 

New Gold from Old Mines.  Track 1, Session 5, Oct 4, 9:00 – 10:00 am

There may be an incredible gold mine left behind when a mining company depletes its reserves or leaves your town. Mining your heritage may be a major drawing card for bringing a new source of cash into your community. How do you convert an old mine into new gold without getting “the shaft”?

 

Ann A. Pritzlaff, Board Member, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Denver, CO. Ms. Pritzlaff’s preservation experience dates to her MS degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Vermont. Since then, she has been a Preservation Planner with the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation in the Colorado Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Officer for the State of Arizona, and a Programs Assistant with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Ms. Pritzlaff was a member of the Colorado Historic Preservation Review Board from 2000-05 and has served on the Board of Directors for Four Mile Historic Park. She currently serves on the Board of the Colorado Historical Society and Stratford Hall Plantation and works as Conference Coordinator for Colorado Preservation, Inc. In 2003, Ms. Pritzlaff was appointed to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation as one of only four members selected from citizen preservationists across the Nation.

 

David Polivy, Natural Resource Program Officer, Sierra Business Council
Mr. Polivy has worked with the Sierra Business Council for over 4 years and has lived in the Lake Tahoe area since 2001. His work focuses on community planning, ski area erosion control management, and promotion of heritage economy models. Mr. Polivy successfully planned for and received a Brownfields grant to initiate development on an abandoned lumber mill and railyard in downtown Truckee, has consulted on numerous land-use planning processes, and manages a public/private partnership between ski areas, the Lahontan Regional Water Board, and numerous consultants. He has traveled extensively in Asia and South America, and has an immense passion for the mountains and region where he now lives. As co-owner of Tahoe Mountain Sports.com, an online, outdoor retail company, he brings his experience as a business owner and entrepreneur to the non-profit sector. He graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY with a degree in Geosciences.

 

Don’t throw that away… I can re-use it.  Track 1, Session 6, Oct 4, 10:15 – 11:15 am

Historic preservation is a continuum, not a one-time fix. The key to successful historic preservation is to find an adaptive use that can financially support its own continued operations and maintenance. You’ll be amazed at the innovative adaptations and uses other communities have come up with for putting their historic structures back to work!

 

James M. O’Grady, Executive Director, Historic Homestake Opera House
Society, Lead, SD.

Mr. O’Grady brought with him 16 years of hospitality management experience to the Homestake Opera House and served on the board of directors overseeing restoration and construction as well as technical enhancements from 1998 until April 2005 when he took over as Executive Director. His current duties include grant research and writing, project management, programming, and public relations as well as public education.

 

Dale Freudenberger, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor,       
Tamaqua, PA.

 

Dori Skrukrud, Planning Specialist, City of Butte, Butte, MT.
Ms.Skrukrud has lived in the “Mining City”, Butte, MT, since 1988 and has worked for the local government since 1995.  She has been the Assistant Director of the Office of Community Development since 2002 and her primary responsibilities are twofold – the development of the Silver Bow Creek Greenway, a restoration and passive recreation project along 26 miles of stream corridor that was rendered lifeless by 100 years of mining and smelting influences and assisting in the redevelopment of surplus publicly owned property through reinvestment by private individuals. 

Ms. Skrukrud is a 1982 graduate of Colorado State University’s School of Agriculture – Landscape Horticulture program and received her Masters degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Colorado - Denver in 1988.

 

Preserving the Past: Securing the future.  Track 1, Session 7, Oct 4, 1:15 – 2:15 pm

The local mine leaves town, taking with it the high paying jobs and the traditions of the trade. New people coming into the community don’t share the common mining heritage or appreciation for the skills and customs of the mining way of life. How do you integrate new and old ideas, enhance the preservation and appreciation of the past, and revitalize your community?

 

Abigail Christman, Survey Coordinator, Colorado Preservation, Inc. Denver, CO.

Ms. Christman joined the staff of Colorado Preservation, Inc. in 2005 as survey coordinator. While previously working as architectural historian for historical consulting firms in Minnesota and New Jersey, she gained experience with a diverse range of historic resources including many rural, industrial, and agricultural sites. She is well-versed in the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and has helped many clients receive Federal Historic Tax Credits for their rehabilitation projects.  Abigail received a Bachelors of Arts in History from the University of South and a Masters of Arts in Public History/Historic Preservation from Middle Tennessee State University. She also has a Masters of Art in Histories and Theories of Architecture from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, England. Last year she attended the New Investments in Old Buildings Historic Tax Credits conference in Chicago.

 

Ann A. Pritzlaff, Board Member, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Denver, CO.
See “New Gold From Old Mines” above.

 

Having your cake and eating it too…  Track 1, Session 8, Oct 4, 2:30 – 3:30 pm

Other communities have faced the same demographic shift, and succeeded in establishing a sustainable economy. What steps did they take, and what would they do differently if they had to do it all over again? Meet the strange armies of the “Quest”, see how they have worked together and learn how to form your army from your own community.

 

Beverly Rich, Chair, San Juan Historical Society, Silverton, CO.

Ms. Rich is a native of Silverton who grew up with a father as a minor. Currently, she serves as Treasurer of San Juan County. Ms. Rich has worked as a dedicated member of the San Juan Historical Society for 18 years, and has also served the boards of Colorado County Treasurer's Association, National Historic Landmarks Stewards Association, Colorado Preservation, Inc., San Juan Regional Planning Commission, Mountain Studies Institute, San Juan County Chamber of Commerce, and Silverton Arts Council She has also worked as a member of the Committee for directing the archaeological remediation for the Animas-La Plata Dam Project, State Historical Fund Advisory Board and Red Mountain Task Force.

 

Jeane Lambin, Program Officer, Wisconsin Field Office, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Mineral Point, WI.

Ms. Lambin as Program Officer assists communities involved in historic preservation efforts by providing technical expertise, organizational assistance, grant aid and advocacy support. She administers the Wisconsin Projects Fund and the Preservation Fund. Prior to relocating to Wisconsin, she worked as a Field Representative in the Midwest Regional Office of the Trust and provided preservation assistance to Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. Prior to joining the Trust, she worked as a preservation planner with the Commission on Chicago Landmarks. She serves on the boards of the Mineral Point Historical Society and the Pendarvis Trust and is an Advisor to the Friends of Fred Smith in Phillips and the Roger Brown Study Collection in Chicago. She is also a member of the Public Policy Committee of the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation. She holds a B.S in Anthropology from Loyola University and a M.S. in Historic Preservation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

 

Christy Bailey, Director, National Coal Heritage Area Authority, Beckley, WV.

Ms. Bailey , is responsible for the development of the National Coal Heritage Area and the Coal Heritage Trail, a national scenic byway.  The National Coal Heritage Area encompasses eleven counties in the southern West Virginia coalfields where efforts are currently underway to transform coal camps and coal communities into tourism venues, while retaining their unique features and sense of place.  She is a graduate of Concord College and Marshall University and has worked in non-profit organizations throughout southern West Virginia for the past 20 years, with experience in community development and national service programs.  Christy also serves on the boards of MountainHeart Community Services, the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, Wyoming County Economic Development Authority and the Community Development Partnership of West Virginia.

 

Collective Problem Solving.  Track 1, Session 9, Oct 4, 3:45 – 5:00 pm

Did you hear what Leadville did with that bicycle trail through their historic mining district, or the golf course built on mine waste piles in Montana? Why couldn’t we do the same thing?" Open discussion of the day’s topics and what can be learned from other community’s trials.

 

COLORADO PRESERVATON INC.

 

Putting your eggs in more than one basket.  Track 1, Session 10, Oct 5, 9:00 – 10:00 am

Any community that has all of its “eggs” in one basket is vulnerable. A community can’t sustain its economy for very long by selling each other hamburgers and T-shirts, something has to replace the influx of outside dollars that historically fueled the local economy. What have other communities done to diversify their options?

 

Russ Tippett

 

Mike Whitt see above Day 2 lunch

 

John Winnenberg

 

How’d they do that?  Track 1 Session 11, Oct 5, 9:00 – 10:00 am

Case studies demonstrating how other communities have survived dramatic socio-economic shifts following downturns or the collapse of their primary economic engine. Open discussion to share and build upon the experiences of others.

 

Dan Beauchamp

Dan is a native Texan, attended college in Austin, Texas, and Baltimore, MD. He was a professor of public health in North Carolina, Michigan, and New York, and also a health official in New York and Washington, DC, and a Washington representative of a major aerospace corporation.
He retired to Bisbee, AZ in 1996 and served two terms as mayor from 2000-2004, where he helped lead the effort to secure more than $30,000,000 in funds to rehabilitate an aging wastewater system.
He now lives in Durham, North Carolina, another company town.

 

Howard Tritz

Fourth generation Leadvillite
B. S. Natural Science, chemistry major
30 years Climax mill management
One of the founders of the MBT

Track Two

Track two is designed to show how communities navigate though a boom and bust obstacle course full of outside organizations that can either help or hinder the community’s efforts.  Hopefully you will find this track as exciting as your favorite “quest” computer game as you learn how to use the tools available to get by the obstacles encountered.

 

Alphabet Soup. Track 2 Session 1, Oct 3, 1:15-2:15 pm

CERCLA, mg/Kg, ROD, RAO’s, ug/dL, QAP, SOP, PRP, IMSHA, OSHA…. what language are they speaking? Your mine has shut down and your community has just been designated as an EPA Superfund site, but what does that really mean? A common man’s primer to the science and socioeconomic impacts of mining regulations.
This session is designed to set the stage by introducing you to the different regulatory agencies involved in a mining community and to the weapons and obstacles they present to the community.

 

Jennifer Lane, Community Involvement Coordinator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8

Ms. Lane has served as a Community Involvement Coordinator for Region 8 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Denver since 2002.  She works on the California Gulch Superfund Site in Lake County, Colorado among other mining sites in the region.  Ms. Lane has nearly 20 years of experience coordinating communications on behalf of government, non-profit and private organizations.  Prior to her work at EPA, Ms. Lane directed the marketing efforts for a solar electricity start-up company and coordinated communications for the Colorado Office of Energy Conservation.  She previously conducted public affairs and media relations activities for a Washington, DC-based communications consulting firm.

 

Jeff Deckler Remedial Programs Manager Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment

Mr. Deckler has worked for the State of Colorado for more than 20 years.  He is currently the Remedial Programs Manager for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.  His responsibilities include managing the Superfund, Brownfields, and Voluntary Cleanup programs. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry from Syracuse University and a Master of Science Degree in Mining Reclamation from Montana State University.

 

Jim Morrison, former County Commissioner Lake County, Colorado

Mr. Morrison is a fourth generation “Leadvillian” with a mining heritage that dates back to 1876 when his ancestors arrived in Colorado for mining. As a long-time resident with a love of mining and small town atmosphere, Jim decided to get involved in local politics and worked to help Lake County recover from its devastating downturn in economy and loss of its primary identity – mining. Morrison served as a Lake County Commissioner from 1997 thru 2000, and through hard work and the cooperative efforts of many individuals and entities, his term proved to be somewhat unique and productive in Lake County.  Mr. Morrison formerly served as Purchasing Agent/Senior Buyer for ASARCO Inc. at the Black Cloud Mine & Mill.  He has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Denver.

 

Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda…’ Track 2, Session 2, Oct 3, 2:30 – 3:30 pm

 Hindsight being 20/20, what could or should your community have done differently when the economy was booming and money was available, to prepare for the cyclic decline of your primary economic engine? How can tools such as Comprehensive Planning and community visioning soften the fall.

 

Mike Whitt – see above Day 2 Lunch

 

Mark Brown

Mark Brown has been with the Pend Oreille Mine for the past five years, taking the project from concept to successful production. Mark’s 25 year mining career includes  positions of Mine Manager, Superintendent of Engineering and Geology and Assistant Operating Superintendent at Cominco’s Sullivan Mine; Mine Superintendent at the Snip Gold Mine, and Mine Engineer at Cominco’s Polaris Mine in the Canadian high arctic.. 
Mark graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Engineering and has attended the Banff School of Advanced Management. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in British Columbia. Participation on the team that was recognized with the NWMA Platinum Award for incorporating the principles of sustainability into the Pend Oreille Mine permitting process was a major career milestone.

 

Don Wilson

Retired self employed auctioneer of 26 years.  Chair of Pend Oreille county Board of Equalization.  President of Metalines Chamber of Commerce and 7 year member of Selkirk Tech Cominco Planners.       

 

Necessity makes strange bedfellows. Track 2, Session 3, Oct 3, 3:45 – 4:45 pm

Kicking, screaming, and dragging your feet doesn’t always get you where you want to go. Cooperative efforts with the regulatory agencies to build a working relationship and achieve common goals may lead to unexpected long- term benefits to your community. Learn what other communities have done in cooperation with regulatory agencies to benefit their citizens’ quality of life.

 

Jim Morrison – see above “Alphabet Soup”

 

William Simon

is a private consultant and proprietor of Alpine Environmental Services located in southwestern Colorado.  He has contracted numerous mine exploration, development and reclamation projects in the western United States, providing permitting, design, construction, and ecological restoration services.  Mr. Simon has also overseen over 40 mine closures and bond releases in Colorado.  His firm has constructed flotation and cyanide vat leach mills, tailings ponds, water treatment facilities, stormwater settling basins, and artificial wetlands used to treat acid mine drainage.  He has had significant success in both sub-alpine and alpine revegetation efforts and has over a decade of experience in stream restoration and fish habitat development in the San Juan Mountains. 

Mr. Simon has a B.A. in biology from the University of Colorado, 1967, and concluded his Ph.D. studies in evolutionary ecology at the University of California, Berkeley in 1970.  During the past twelve years he has been retained as the watershed coordinator for the Animas River Stakeholders Group, a collaboration of public and private entities focused on reducing historical impacts of mining on water quality and aquatic habitat throughout the Animas Watershed.

 

John Winnenberg

 

Collective Problem Solving. Track 2, Session 4, Oct 3, 5:00 – 6:00 pm

There is no sense in reinventing the wheel. Share the successes and solutions that have resolved your community’s issues, or ask how other communities have dealt with stubborn problems that have defied your best efforts. Problems are harder to solve in a vacuum; learning from other’s mistakes and successes can open new doors of thought and fast-track pathways to success.

 

Cindy Cook – Moderator

Cindy Cook is an environmental mediator and facilitator and the principal of Adamant Accord, Inc. Cindy graduated from Yale, teaches at Vermont Law School, is a fellow of VLS’s Land Use Institute and is Co-Chair of the Environment and Public Policy Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution.  She specializes in facilitating complex, multi-party environmental conversations.  Since 2000, she has facilitated productive conversations between community members, the state, and EPA regarding the cleanup of the Elizabeth Mine Superfund Site in Vermont.  She is currently facilitating several policy dialogues regarding wetlands regulation, childhood lead poisoning prevention and forest tract preservation, and the construction and management of on-site wastewater treatment systems. She brings warmth, intelligence and a sense of humor to her work, and has been working in the field for far longer than she cares to admit.

 

Environmental Remediation: Best Practices. Track 2, Session 5, Oct 4, 9:00 – 10:00 am

Listen as the experts discuss state-of-the-art methods of mitigating natural resource damages from past mining activities. What has worked, what has failed? What resources and services are available to your community?

 

Mark Walker

 

John Hess

I have been the Town Planner in Crested Butte since 1990 and I have been on the Crested Butte Land Trust Board of Directors since 1991.  I have been the stewardship chairman of all Land Trust properties throughout that time and therefore, became very involved in the planning and implementation of the cleanup of Peanut Mine.  I also applied for and am managing a $200,000 Brownfields Voluntary Cleanup grant from U.S. EPA for this project.

 

Dan Hines

manages a multi-discipline technical, consulting, managerial and construction trade staff. Mr. Hines has over twenty-nine (29) years of diverse competent experience in the fields of:
Mine Land Reclamation and Water-Shed Protection design and construction;
Environmental infra-structure design, engineering, and construction;
Environmental management systems, auditing and operations management assessments; Regulatory compliance ;Environmental site and risk assessments; CERCLA and RCRA Site remedial/mitigation design, engineering, construction implementation; Radiological and hazardous waste management: Project management; Systems and Process Hazard Assessment; Remediation treatment and equipment selection; Catastrophic consequence analysis and systems safety engineering evaluation of chemical processes; Facility infra-structure and process selection, design and construction; RCRA Site and Facility permitting; Alternative technologies for in-situ or on-site treatment of hazardous waste contaminants RCRA site/unit closure plans; Environmental assessment, investigation and evaluation of abandoned hazardous waste sites OSHA Regulations - Health and safety compliance management; OSHA/RCRA HAZWOPER and MSHA training development and implementation, and; Construction management expertise in turnkey facility infrastructure design, engineering and construction.

Mr. Hinds has provided project design development and construction management for the implementation of many abandoned mine and mine land reclamation projects including:
Phase II through Phase VI of the CERCLA corrective action items at the EPA Region 8 Superfund Site, California Gulch, Operable Unit Number 6, Leadville, Colorado;
Select private mine operator mine land water-shed protection projects;
Select Colorado Division of Minerals & Geology projects;
Select US Department of Interior; Bureau of Land Management projects, and;
Select Water Shed Drainage Management Association Group projects.

Eleven of the twenty-five years were devoted to engineering and construction management tasks with specific experience in environmental, chemical processing, industrial, and heavy construction projects.  Mr. Hinds was task manager for process and system safety evaluation of coal to methanol facility and nerve agent de-militarization facilities, Corporate RCRA Management, and Project Manager for CERCLA action.

Mr. Hinds has provided project direction for the conceptual design support to ensure cost effective services to private industry and to government agencies.  Managed multi-disciplinary technical staffs dealing with hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facility, hazardous waste management, RCRA-Site corrective action implementation, RCRA Part B Facility design, engineering, construction and permitting process, alternative treatment technologies, and health and safety contingency planning.

Mr. Hinds processes two college degrees; A BS in Chemistry and a BS in Mathematics.

Mr. Hinds is a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam Era Veteran; 1969 to 1973.

 

Environmental Remediation: Case Studies.  Track 2, Session 6, Oct 4, 10:15 – 11:15 am

For all the theory, not all potential methods of remediation are reproducible due to issues of scale, or financial affordability. Snake oil or solution? When should you “Just say No?” What are the experiences of other communities?

 

William Simon - see above

 

Ms. Amy Morrison

Ms. Morrison has over twelve years of experience consulting for community-based, lead risk-reduction programs.  She has experience developing and implementing alternative remediation programs for the residential areas primarily within large mining sites.  Ms. Morrison is the former case manager for the Kids First/Lake County Community Health Program, a risk-reduction program addressing multiple potential sources of lead in residential areas of the California Gulch Superfund Site in Leadville, Colorado.  She served as the primary contact for each family participating in the program coordinating environmental case management, property investigations and reporting.  She also acted as the program’s liaison to a technical oversight group that included members from state and federal regulatory agencies and the local health department.  Ms. Morrison has her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Northern Colorado and is an EPA/State of Colorado certified risk assessor for lead-based paint and construction supervisor for paint abatement activities.

 

Rob Roberts

Rob runs Trout Unlimited’s Abandoned Mine Restoration Program, a component of the Public Lands Initiative.  Based in Missoula, Montana, he has worked with community organizations, state and federal agencies, and non-profits throughout the West to clean up abandoned mines that are affecting water quality and local fisheries.  Rob grew up in eastern Pennsylvania and graduated from Wake Forest University in 1998. He has also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar and worked in the Environmental Department at Vail Mountain. When not working, he can be found fishing, beekeeping, playing hand drums, practicing Aikido, and exploring the mountains and valleys of the Rocky Mountains with his dog, Abe

 

Changing Demographics. Track 2, Session 7, Oct 4, 1:15 – 2:15 pm

The local mine leaves town, taking with it the high paying jobs and the traditions of the trade. New people coming into the community don’t share the common mining heritage or appreciation for the skills and customs of the mining way of life. How do you integrate new and old ideas, enhance the preservation and appreciation of the past, and revitalize your community?

 

Don Wilson – see above

 

Allan Comp –see Day One Lunch

 

Todd Hennis

graduated from Harvard with honors in economics, with emphasis on the economics of the mineral industries.  He worked as an international metals and base metal concentrate trader before becoming president of a small public mining company.  Since then, he has concentrated his efforts on his two private resource companies, Salem Minerals Inc. and San Juan Corp., which are trying to revitalize mining in San Juan County, Colorado.

 

Changing Demographics: Case Studies. Track 2 Session 8, Oct 4, 2:30 – 3:30 pm

Other communities have faced the same demographic shift, and succeeded in establishing a sustainable economy. What steps did they take, and what would they do differently if they had to do it all over again?

 

Russ Tippett

 

Dan Beauchamp –see above

 

Collective Problem Solving. Track 2 Session 9, Oct 4, 3:45 – 5:00 pm

Take this opportunity to network with other communities and the experts in their fields. Share contact information and gather resource information.

 

Moderator -  Kate Larkin  

Kate is an attorney who practices in Denver, Colorado.  80% of her work is for the mining industry.  She began her career as an in-house counsel for AMAX, Inc. at the Climax Mine and has represented the mining industry since 1978, living through the industry's ups and downs.

 

Mike Whitt see above

 

Russ Tippett

 

Dan Beauchamp see above

 

Don Wilson see above

 

T. Allan Comp see above

 

Todd Hennis – see above

 

The Future of US Mining. Track 2 Session 10, Oct 5, 9:00 – 10:00 am

Listen to what the experts have to say about the direction and future of mining in the United States. What will the US have to do to successfully compete in the global economy, and how will it have to evolve to meet changing environmental regulations?

 

Todd Hennis – see above

 

The Evolution of US Mining Communities. Track 2 Session 11, Oct 5, 9:00 – 10:00 am

How will changes in the mining industry affect the communities that support it? What will the evolution of the American Mining Community look like, and how can your community prepare for the changes that will come? Case studies of mining communities that have accepted adversity as challenge, and viewed problems as opportunities, and have thrived in the post mining phase of the “Boom – Bust” cycle.

 

T. Allan Comp – see above

 

Terry Cooper, Graham AZ, County Manager

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