Text of a letter from the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of 
Historic Resources:
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                             December 27, 2001

   Ms. Deborah Kendall
   Planning Director & Zoning Administrator
   Orange County Department of Planning and Zoning
   112 West Main Street, P.O. Box 111
   Orange, VA 22960

   By fax: 540 672-1679

   Re: Application for Special Use Permit, General Shale Products, LLC

   Dear Ms Kendall:

   This  is to inform you that the Board of Historic Resources, an agency
   of  the  Commonwealth  served  by  this  department, holds a permanent
   preservation  easement  on  Burlington,  a property listed on both the
   Virginia  Landmarks  Register  and  the  National Register of Historic
   Places.  Burlington  is  adjacent  to  the  Darnell property for which
   General  Shale  Products  is  seeking a special use permit for surface
   mining.   The   Burlington  easement,  donated  in  1996,  covers  the
   property's  entire  199.63  acres.  It provides architectural controls
   over the mansion, limits subdivision, and prohibits surface mining. As
   administrator  of  this  easement,  I  wish to state this department's
   opposition  to  the  special  use  permit.  Surface mining on property
   adjacent  to  Burlington,  potentially within one thousand feet of the
   historic  mansion,  will  have  a  detrimental environmental impact on
   Burlington  and  is incompatible with Burlington's historic and scenic
   character, which this department is obligated to protect.

   Both  the Darnell property and Burlington are within the boundaries of
   the  Madison-Barbour  Rural Historic District, which is also listed on
   the  Virginia  and  National  registers.  This  district,  composed of
   unspoiled  pastoral scenery, is one of Virginia's most intact cultural
   landscapes.  The  district  is  named  for  the area's two most famous
   landowners,  James Madison and James Barbour, who were responsible for
   its  two  nationally  significant plantation complexes, Montpelier and
   Barboursville.  This  department  worked closely with Orange County as
   well   as   many   property   owners  in  establishing  this  official
   recognition.  I  should  mention  that we also administer preservation
   easements  on  four  other  properties  within the district: Beaumont,
   Frascati,  Greenwood,  and  Rocklands.  These  easements also prohibit
   surface mining.

   In  order  to  maintain  the  integrity  of  both  Burlington  and the
   Madison-Barbour  Rural  Historic  District,  I  ask that Orange County
   maintain  the  current  agricultural  zoning  of the Darnell property.
   Surface mining is an incompatible land use for this special area.

   Sincerely,

   Virginia Epps McConnell

   Easement Administrator