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March 21, 2024 C-1981-019/Colowyo Coal Mine ZTT <br /> <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 6 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br /> <br /> Page 2 of 11 <br /> <br /> <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable <br />N - Air Resource Protection <br />R - Availability of Records <br />R - Backfill & Grading <br />R - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />R - Explosives <br />Y - Fish & Wildlife <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />R - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />N - Other <br />N - Processing Waste <br /> <br />Y - Roads <br />R - Reclamation Success <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />N - Slides and Other Damage <br />N - Support Facilities On-site <br />R - Signs and Markers <br />N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br />Y - Special Categories Of Mining <br />Y - Topsoil <br /> <br /> <br />COMMENTS <br /> <br />This was a complete inspection by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) of the <br />Colowyo Mine conducted by Zach Trujillo of the Division on March 21, 2024. Tom Fry representing Colowyo <br />Coal Company (Colowyo) accompained the inspection. The weather during the inspection was clear and ground <br />conditions were snow covered with approximately 6+ inches in depth intermittently throughout the site. Higher <br />elevations and natural drainages were where most of the remaining snow was on site. As the day progressed, <br />temperatures rised causing snow melt and extremely muddy conditions. Due to snow and muddy conditions, <br />access was limited to the primary areas of the site. Temperatures during the inspection were between 25 - 50 <br />degrees fahrenheit. <br />AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS – Rule 5.02.4(1): <br />All records are kept on site at the Colowyo Mine’s office building. Please see the Division’s Availability of <br />Records checklist at the end of this inspection report for more detailed information. <br /> <br />BACKFILL and GRADING – Rule 4.14 <br />Contemporaneous Reclamation 4.14.1; Approximate Original Contour 4.14.2; Highwall Elimination 4.14.1(2)(f); <br />Steep Slopes 4.14.2, 4.27; Handling of Acid and Toxic Materials 4.14.3; Stabilization of Rills and Gullies 4.14.6: <br />Active backfill operations were occurring in the South Taylor Pit during the inspection. Spoil was being <br />excavated from the top of the temporary spoil located just north of pit. Spoil was being dumped along the <br />northeastern end of the South Taylor Pit. Dozers were observed grading and positioning the backfill as needed to <br />support the hauling operations. <br /> <br />Backfill within the eastern portion of the Collom Pit in support of highwall mining operations was observed from <br />the previous inspection. Backfill is being used to bench up and grant access to upper seams located along the <br />highwall. This also assists as part of contemporaneous reclamation efforts that occur at the Colowyo Mine.