INSPEC05251

• Permit No: C1984067
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Date: 6/3/1999
• Doc Name: COAL INSPECTION REPORT
• Inspection Date: 5/18/1999
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE
Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made during the
inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection and the facts or
evidence supporting the enforcement action.
This partial inspection of the Coal Gulch Mine was conducted by DMG staff from the Durango
Office, 484 Turner Drive, Building F, Suite 101, Durango, CO 81301, phone [phone].
The permit for the Coal Gulch Mine was revoked over 5 years ago. Financial warranty was
forfeited and utilized for final reclamation.
Mine identification sign has been replaced by sign for Fire Hawk Contractors. Entrance gate was
locked. Fire Hawk equipment and stockpiles of imported rock, soil, and vegetative debris and
industrial debris were located on site. Reclaimed areas have been redisturbed by Fire Hawk.
Sediment pond was holding water, approximately 1' depth, no discharge noted. Material
stockpiles, imported by Fire Hawk, have been placed against the pond embankment outslope and
were obstructing the primary and secondary spillway outlets. Portions of the toe of the pond
embankment outslope appeared to have been cut and regraded, apparently to maximize the
working area for Fire Hawk equipment.
Fire Hawk has also backfilled the low lying area between the pond outlet and the 48" diameter
highway culvert inlet. The highway culvert conveys Coal Gulch and road drainage under
Highway 160. Slope of backfilled material terminated at the culvert inlet, backfilled material was
observed in the culvert inlet and may obstruct the highway culvert.
Coal Gulch flow has been diverted around the working yard for Fire Hawk. Coal Gulch flow has
been diverted to the highway drainage ditch and must pass through a 12" diameter culvert,
under the mine entrance road, prior to entering the 48" diameter highway culvert. The outlet of
the 12" entrance road culvert was partially blocked by sediment and debris.
Affected areas had previously been reclaimed to promote stable slopes, vegetative cover and
controlled drainage. Recent activities, conducted by Fire Hawk, have disrupted reclamation
efforts by removing vegetative cover, re-routing drainage channels, obstructing sediment pond
outlets, and backfilling low lying areas and regrading to result in an expanded stockpile and
material processing yard area.
Reclaimed areas, not recently redisturbed by Fire Hawk activities, appeared stable.