I want to register my serious concerns related to the impacts of gold mining on nearby residents who rely on private drinking water wells.   Gold mining poses the combined risks of dewatering of aquifers supplying drinking water wells as well as contaminating these aquifers such that they would be unsafe as a drinking water supply.  The loss of potable water for residential and common agricultural uses in these rural areas would seriously degrade quality of life and the property values in these communities.  Noting that many of these communities are low income with significant minority populations adds the concern of disproportionate impact on environmental justice communities. 

Thank you,

Glen Besa