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PERMIT #: M-1991-035 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: MAC <br />INSPECTION DATE: October 26, 2015 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />The inspection was conducted by Michael Cunningham of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). Sean Frisch and Christine Felz were present on behalf of Lafarge. The Bluestone Pit is located in <br />Jefferson County to the west of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. The site is permitted for 707 acres <br />and the post -mining land use is wildlife habitat. <br />The Division received a request for an acreage release on September 30, 2015. Pursuant to Rule 4.17.2(1), the <br />Division sent notice of the acreage reduction to the landowner, Jefferson County Commissioner, the Division <br />of Water Resources and the Jefferson Conservation District. The Division received comments from the Division <br />of Water Resources, no objections to the acreage reduction were received. The purpose of the inspection was <br />to verify that the area to be released was either unaffected by the mining operation or fully reclaimed in <br />accordance with the approved Reclamation Plan and the Reclamation Performance Standards. <br />Mining at the Bluestone Pit is complete and the Operator is currently reclaiming the affected lands. The <br />mining operation consisted of 11 phases; mining was conducted in phase 1 and portions of phases 2 and 3. <br />The Operator affected approximately 164.5 acres. As noted above, the operation is permitted for 707 acres <br />and the designated affected area accounts for 297 acres. The remainder of the permitted acreage was <br />designated as a mining buffer. The land situated to the east and north of the affected area is owned by the <br />U.S. Department of Energy and houses the National Wind Technology Center and associated facilities. Steve <br />Nixon of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) accompanied Division staff and the Operator <br />during the inspection of lands controlled by NREL. The Division found that the portions of phases 2 and 3, <br />phases 4 - 7, and the non -mining buffers which were requested for release were unaffected by the mining <br />operation. <br />Phases 8 - 11 are located immediately south of the former processing area and Phase 1. The Operator did not <br />conduct mining in phases 8 -11. However, there was an access road running north to south which connected <br />the main pit to an unnamed road on the southern end of the permit area. The access road has been <br />revegetated. The vegetation on the reclaimed road is not equal in extent to the surrounding area, but is <br />capable of self -regeneration without further aid from the Operator. The Division observed disturbance at the <br />south end of phase 11. The disturbance consisted of a stockpile area that was approximately 7 acres in size <br />(measurement of the area was done following the inspection and was based on a Google Earth aerial image <br />from 10/6/2014). The Operator did not have information about this disturbance, but believed that it was <br />associated with one of two permitted mining operations located immediately to the east of phase 11. The two <br />permitted operations are the Church Pit (M-1979-045) operated by The Lakewood Brick and Tile Company and <br />the Rocky Flats Pit (M-1983-090) operated by Bestway Concrete Company. The Division has not determined <br />which operation is responsible for the disturbance. However, the Division is unable to approve the release <br />request due to the disturbance in phase 11. The Division will follow up with the other Operators to determine <br />who is responsible for the disturbance. <br />Notice of the Division's decision regarding the acreage reduction request will be sent under separate cover. <br />Page 2 of 5 <br />