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1 | Page <br />Mine Site Inspection <br />Mine Name: New Elk Mine <br />Permittee: New Elk Coal Company, LLC (NECC) <br />Permit ID#: # C-1981-012 <br />Inspection Date: June 7 – 10, 2016 (includes inspection of Golden Eagle Mine) <br />Time: Tue 1:45 – 5:30; Wed 8:00 – 4:00; Thu 8:10 – 3:20; Fri 8:00 – 12:20 <br />Inspection Type: Complete Oversight Inspection & topic evaluation <br />Weather Conditions: Hot and dry mornings, building clouds, light afternoon rain on Wed <br />Participants: <br />Christine Belka: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) #182 <br />Louis Head: NECC <br />Alexis Long: OSMRE <br />Ron Thompson: NECC consultant <br />Rob Zuber: DRMS <br />This was a complete oversight inspection as well as field work for a topic-specific evaluation of <br />erosion control on reclaimed portions of coal mine waste banks. Louis Head participated in the <br />pre-inspection and post-inspection (closeout) discussions. Ron Thompson participated in limited <br />portions of the field evaluation and the records review. Ground conditions were mostly dry <br />although small patches of wet or muddy areas were present due to recent rains. NECC staff <br />indicated approximately 1.5” of rain fell in about an hour the previous Sunday (two days prior to <br />this inspection). <br />Background <br />New Elk is an active non-producing coal mine near Weston, Colorado. Production ceased in <br />August, 2012, although limited quantities were produced or sold in 2014 and 2015. <br />Rule 4.03: Roads <br />The main facilities area roads are in good repair. The lower portion of the haul road leading up to <br />the RDA needs minor grading maintenance. Runoff has channelized on the road, leaving very <br />small rills in the roadway. Drainage should be routed off the road surface to ensure stability of <br />the road. Additionally, the outslope of the road berm (required by MSHA) should have sediment <br />control devices at the toe such as silt fence or straw wattles to protect undisturbed areas below. <br />Rule 4.02: Signs and Markers <br />Mine identification signs were noted at all entries to the permit area from Highway 12. All signs <br />were in good repair and included the permit number, NECC contact information, Division of <br />Minerals and Geology (now DRMS) contact information (required of permits in Temporary <br />Cessation of Operations), and MSHA identification numbers (not required under DRMS’s <br />program). <br />Stream buffer zone markers were placed on both banks of the Purgatoire River which traverses <br />the permit area. Mr. Zuber instructed NECC staff to place additional stream buffer zone markers <br />on the west end of the permit area. Although this is a low traffic area and likelihood of any <br />equipment operator entering the buffer zone is unlikely, the buffer zone should be clearly