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CANON CITY, COLO. -- Fremont County Commissioners began the first of two public hearings to hear from opponents of the 'Over the River' project before making a decision on whether or not to issue a temporary use permit for Artist Christo Javacheff.

Christo and his late wife Jeanne-Claude's project involves hanging a total of six miles of fabric in eight sections over a 42-mile stretch of the Arkansas River from Canon City to Salida as early as April.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Canon City council members have already approved the project. The permit would allow construction to begin in April of this year with the goal of finishing by August 2014. The display would then be up for two weeks and would take three months to remove.

Commissioner approval is the final step to get the permit issued.

"This is really going to put this part of Colorado on the map," Steve Coffin, Christo's communication council, said. "That's why you've seen so much support come from the governor, elected officials, tourism groups and from the art groups."

Several groups, including Rags Over the Arkansas River (ROAR), are opposed. The local grassroots organization has its concerns about Bighorn Sheep Canyon, saying a three-year construction project would severely hamper wildlife as well as destroy tourism and increase traffic.

"None of the traffic models have taken into consideration things like rock falls, inclement weather or wind," Ellen Bauder, vice president of ROAR, said.

However, Christo supporters said the project would bring in an estimated $121 million for the local economy. They also dispute ROAR's claims, saying the impact on wildlife would be minimal and construction noise would be similar to traffic noise on Highway 50.

Christo said he will fully fund the project, so there would be no tax increases. The public would be able to view it for free during the two-week display in 2014.

ROAR members have filed a lawsuit with BLM.

Hearings were scheduled for Wednesday morning and afternoon as well as Thursday. Commissioners have not yet set a timetable on when they will make a decision about the permit.