2016-01-04_INSPECTION - M2002020

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PERMIT #: M-2002-020 INSPECTOR’S INITIALS: PSH INSPECTION DATE: December 10, 2015 Page 2 of 10 OBSERVATIONS The 25th Avenue Site was inspected by Peter Hays with the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division/DRMS) in response to an acreage reduction request (AR‐02) filed by the Operator on October 26, 2015. The Division is required by Rule 4.17.2 to inspect the lands and reclamation described in the request to determine if the Permittee has complied with all applicable requirements. Mr. Bill Schenderlein with Blue Earth representing the City of Greeley (City) and Mr. Mike Hart with Hart Environmental representing Cottonwood Land and Farms, LLC (Cottonwood) were present during the inspection. The 25th Ave Site was inspected in conjunction with the Greeley West site, M‐1977‐081. The Division will approve the acreage reduction request (AR‐02) based on the observations from this inspection. In the release request letter, the Operator states the site is currently permitted for 286.67 acres. The Division records indicated the permitted acreage is 284.64 acres following the addition of 197.51 acres under AM‐01 and the release of 2.03 under a previous acreage reduction request (AR‐01) on September 24, 2012. The Operator requested a release of 76.41 acres from the 25th Ave Site. The release request includes the 38.25 acres parcel of land owned by Cottonwood north of the Cache la Poudre River and the 38.16 acre parcel of land owned by Cottonwood in the southeast corner of the site. The permit acreage for the site will be reduced from 284.64 acres to 208.23 acres with the approval of AR‐02. The 25th Ave Site was active during the inspection. Material was being mined from the southwest corner of the site and transported off site. 38.16 acre southeast corner parcel The southeast parcel included in the release request was observed during the inspection. The parcel is defined by 25th Ave to the east, t‐posts and the tops of the pond berms to the north and fence line and F Street to the south. The visual topsoil stockpiles located in the southeast corner of the parcel remain in place. The topsoil stockpiles will be used by Cottonwood to reclaim portions of the southeast parcel. The slopes in portions of the east pond were steeper than the required 3H:1V. The Operator stated the slopes would be regraded to less than 3H:1V. Two erosion gullies were noted in the northeast corner of the east pond. Cottonwood stated the gullies will be repaired as part of the pond regrading. The house and tennis court located in the original Greeley West site permit boundary north of O Street have been raised. The area will need to be reclaimed as part of the final reclamation of the Greeley West site. The Division records indicate the house area is included in the Greeley West permit boundary, but was not included in the 25th Ave Site. The south pond was observed at the request of Cottonwood. The pond slopes were reclaimed to the required 3H:1V slope, topsoiled and vegetated to the water line prior to the dewatering of the southwest ponds to allow dry mining the southwest ponds. Cottonwood is concerned the groundwater elevation will be reduced once the slurry wall around the southwest pond is completed. The south pond shorelines consisted of gravelly slopes with annual weeds below the former waterline. The pond slopes will need to be topsoiled and revegetated with the approved seed mixture if the groundwater level does not return to the previous elevation. The truck traffic disturbance in the west end of the parcel has been recently reclaimed by Cottonwood. The area was seeded and covered with straw to promote revegetation. The southeast parcel cannot be removed from both permits based on the work required to finalize