2013-12-03_INSPECTION - M1986015

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PERMIT #: M- 1986 -015 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: TC1 INSPECTION DATE: November 15, 2013 Fugitive Dust Control Plan for approval as a technical revision to the permit along with the appropriate $216 revision fee to the Division by the corrective action date. The Operator shall demonstrate compliance by submitting bills of sale or photographs of erosion control activities. The Operator may also request a follow up inspection. B) The operator has committed to removing and /or relocating the Phase 2 stockpile beginning in the January - February 2014 time frame. The operator has agreed to complete the removal /relocation by May 30, 2014. The operator shall notify the DRMS it has begun the removal /relocation on or before 2/28/2014 and provide photographic documentation by June 7, 2014 that the process is complete. CORRECTIVE ACTION DUE DATE: 12/30/13 OBSERVATIONS This inspection was prompted by a complaint received (via email) by the DRMS that Continental Materials Corporation/Transit Mix of Pueblo (TMOP) is causing soils to collapse on properties north of the slurry wall - lined Phase 2 pit. I, Tim Cazier met first with the complainant, Melanie Cooper, and her neighbor, Judy Winters. Ms. Cooper resides at 401 25th Lane and Ms. Winters resides at 409 25th Lane. After a tour and inspection of select properties on 25th Lane and the mine configuration surrounding these properties, I met with representatives for the mine in TMOP's office. Representing the mine during this meeting were: Mark Klune, Bill Pope, Bud Herskind, Andre Laroche, Jerry Schnable (all of TMOP), Gary Tuttle (Tuttle & Associates), and Chris Sanchez (Bishop - Brogden Associates). Inspection: I met with Ms. Cooper first. She showed me several cracks and holes on her property and the property due east of hers across 25th Lane. She indicated the field where the cracks and holes were observed used to be an irrigated alfalfa field. However, it had not been maintained or irrigated for alfalfa production for many years. Ms. Cooper introduced me to Ms. Winters and they showed me similar features on Ms. Winters' property. The observed cracks and holes were within approximately 600 feet to either side of 25t1' Lane. A fairly regular grid pattern of cracks and holes were observed on the Cooper Property (see Figure A). Holes (1 to 2 feet in width, up to 5 feet long, and up to 2.5 feet deep, see Photos 1 - 5) and larger cracks were observed in the east -west direction. Other cracks and smaller holes that had not collapsed were measured deeper, up to at least 7 feet deep (see Photos 6 and 7). Smaller cracks (fractions of an inch in width and shorter (15 to 20 feet) in length (see Photos 8 and 9) tend to run north - south. Ms. Cooper also pointed out that water was impounded in the bermed area due east of the Winters property when the cracks and holes began forming. There is still a small area next to the berm where water was impounded that has not been backfilled (see Photo 10). Ms. Winters confirmed the cracks and holes started forming in the summer of 2011. The cracks observed on the Winters property appear to be in a more dendritic than grid pattern (see Figure B). No large holes were observed on the Winters property and only one crack was wide enough to assess the depth (measured to be less than one foot). Photos 11 and 12 show the two cracks of major concern to Ms. Winters. Photo 11 is of the long crack ( -175 feet) on the south side of the Winters House. Photo 12 is of two shorter cracks (-15 feet each) on the downgradient end (southwest) of the Winters' leach field. Ms Winters also pointed out the area on the south end of her property where stormwater and blocked flows Page 2 of 13