2016-05-11_INSPECTION - M2016022

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PERMIT M PF.Id INSPECTOR'S INITIALS:A!W INSPECTION DATE:May 9,2016 OBSERVATIONS This inspection was conducted by Tony Waldron of DBMS and accompanied by James Simpson and Darren Dever of Arnold's Custom Seeding. The site is an agricultural production field located approximately % mile east of Weld County Road 69 and just south of Weld County Road 16 in Prospect Valley, Colorado. The legal description is approximately the NE X of the NW X of Section 35, T2N, R63 W of the 6th P.M. in Weld County, Colorado. This inspection was performed to investigate a possible illegal mining operation being conducted to obtain clay borrow for an off-site construction project. The site is a level field presently covered in wheat stubble. The parcel is approximately 30 acres in total size and there is a disturbance across the entire west end of the field. This disturbance is approximately 150 feet wide and 600 feet long running north to south from County Road 16 on the north and terminating at an abandoned farmstead on the south. The operator removed and windrowed topsoil on both the east and west side of the disturbance and was in the process of excavating the clay seam or "B" horizon just below where the topsoil or "A" horizon had been removed. Approximately one fourth of the area had been excavated to a depth of approximately 2-3 feet as of the date of the inspection. All operations have presently ceased. It was reported that the excavated material was being exported off site for use as construction material in a pipeline project. The Division believes this is a possible violation for failure to first obtain a reclamation permit prior to engaging in new mining operation (C.R.S. 34-32.5-109(1) ) . The operator is hereby requested to cease from conducting further operations at this site until a reclamation permit is obtained. The office will be issuing a Reason to Believe that a Violation Exists Letter for this operation under separate cover. Page 2 of 4