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and weather conditions allow. End dumped gob in the drying area was stacked in <br />windrows during the inspection, but re- processing of the material has begun. <br />The westernmost and easternmost section of gob pile #3 serve as a drying areas for <br />end dumped material. The purpose of the gob drying area is to provide an area for <br />temporary storage of gob for drying purposes. End - dumped gob in the gob drying <br />areas is worked with dozers and track hoes to assist in the drying process. The <br />Operator added and removed processed gob from the designated western drying area. <br />At gob pile #3 it is necessary to stockpile gob material during the winter months then <br />place and compact the stockpiled gob when weather allows. Stockpiling of gob can <br />commence November 15 and end April 15. Winter stockpiled material will be re- <br />handled and compacted by September 30. Beginning on October 1, the Operator <br />should be compacting all material concurrently, until conditions again require <br />stockpiling. The stockpiling dates listed above should be considered flexible and may <br />change slightly from year to year based on weather conditions. The gob material will be <br />stockpiled in rows generally running from northwest to southeast. The rows of gob will <br />be placed in a controlled manner and overlap will be minimized so there is space <br />between rows to allow for drainage to the southeast. There were rows of stockpiled <br />gob at gob pile #3 during the inspection. <br />Gob pile #2 has one steep area. It is located in the central section of the pile. This <br />area is steep because the Operator was placing gob in the area and was tying the gob <br />into existing gob and natural ground. There is a steep slope on the west side of the first <br />bench on gob pile #1. The slope is about 1.5H-IV and the approved slope is 2H-IV. <br />This steep slope has remained stable for years and has not shown any signs of <br />instability. <br />The available volume of coverfill material is sufficient to meet the requirements of Rule <br />4.10.4(5). No coverfill was used for blending or other uses during the quarter. Subsoil <br />excavation in the west coverfill stockpile footprint at gob pile #3 was finished during the <br />middle of March. Subsoil was hauled back to gob pile #2 and the third bench west of <br />the haul road is nearly covered. <br />A failure of the gob pile no. 1 would probably not be a hazard to human life. The pile is <br />located above a large flat bench. The bench is approximately 80 to 150 -feet wide <br />directly below the pile. Additionally, the gob pile sediment pond is located below the <br />pile. If the coal mine waste bank failed, the material would very likely be contained on <br />the bench below the pile and or within the gob pile sediment pond. <br />A failure of gob pile no. 2 would probably not be a hazard to human life. A residential <br />dwelling is located over 300 -feet below pile no. 2. The piles are located above Bowie <br />Road. A failure of the piles might damage Bowie Road and the Fire Mountain Canal <br />but would not likely impact the residential dwelling. <br />-2- <br />