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July 20,2016 C-1981-012/New Elk Mine RAR <br /> Inspection Topic Summary <br /> NOTE: Y=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable <br /> Y -Air Resource Protection Y -Roads <br /> N -Availability of Records R -Reclamation Success <br /> Y -Backfill&Grading R -Revegetation <br /> R -Excess Spoil and Dev.Waste Y - Subsidence <br /> NA -Explosives Y - Slides and Other Damage <br /> R -Fish&Wildlife R - Support Facilities On-site <br /> Y -Hydrologic Balance R - Signs and Markers <br /> Y -Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br /> N -Other Y - Special Categories Of Mining <br /> Y -Processing Waste R -Topsoil <br /> COMMENTS <br /> A partial inspection of the New Elk Coal Mine,(Permit C 1981 012)was conducted by me,Robin Reilley, of the <br /> DRMS on Tuesday, 19 July 2016. The inspection began conversing with Louis Head and Ron Thompson <br /> regarding permitting, challenges and getting an overview of the three NEEC sites including maintenance and <br /> monitoring protocols. <br /> Ponds are visited by staff as soon as possible after precipitation events for sampling(NPDS permit). The rainy <br /> season generally runs from mid July through mid August. Currently ponds 7 and 8 are retaining significant water <br /> and sediment requires removal. Methods of aleviating this situation are under discussion with DRMS and other <br /> entities. The current plan under consideration comprises dewatering these ponds using the slurry pipline before <br /> witner. <br /> Coal seams are 50 to 55 inches in depth and overburden is approximatly 5 feet above the coal seam. As the mine is <br /> currently idle,the protals are temporarily sealed and no active mining takes place. Currently six staff members <br /> attend to reclamation, surface maintenance,permitting,water quality monitoring and equipment upkeep for an area <br /> of approxiamtely 12,000 acres. <br /> Skies were partly cloudy, and temperatures reached the mid 80 <br /> Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 1 <br /> Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 0 <br /> Page 2 of 10 <br />