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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 was a complete inspection of a revoked mine. The focus of this inspection was to evaluate the status of the reclamation in terms of potential impacts to the local environment and/or public health and safety. Weather was clear and ground conditions were dry. The Twin Pines Mine was reclaimed by Twin Pines Investment Ltd. in 1995. The permit was revoked and the bond forfeited in May, 1996. The Division currently holds S22,600 in forfeited bond funds. MINE AREA Access to the site is via a Fremont County road, which ends at the former mine site. Agate across the road at the Oak Creek crossing is currently locked, prohibiting vehicular access. A mine identification sign, permit boundary markers, and an MSHA refuse pile sign remain in place. The mine site consists of approximately 7.6 acres of reclaimed land, Mine entries, which were developed in a pre-SMCRA highwall, were sealed and backfilled. The lower portion of the highwall was backfilled when the portals were reclaimed. The fill covering the portals appears stable. Vegetation is becoming established on the fill. There are no signs of movement or settling in the fill. There is a bench just above the portal fill material which is approximately 30 feet wide. The remainder of the pre-SMCRA high wall stands above this bench. The highwall is approximately 40 feet high and consists of interbedded sandstones and shales. There are several fractures in the wall, with exposed angular blocks ranging from 1 to 5 feet in width. Some of these boulders have spalled off the face of the wall onto the upper bench in the past. It does not appear that any rocks have fallen during the past few years. This highwall has not changed visibly during the past eight years, since this inspector first visited the site. Any rocks which fall of the wall should be contained on the bench, due to its width and the earth berm on the outside edge of the bench. Access to the bench is blocked by a barbed wire fence. Signs hanging on the fence read, "Danger-Falling Material". Access to the top of the highwall from the south can only be gained by hiking over remote and rugged terrain. There is a sediment pond on the lower mine bench. The pond is incised into the bench. Slopes inside the pond are gradual enough to allow for ingress and egress by cattle. There is a functional CMP spillway which discharges water from the pond into Lewis Gulch, downhill from the mine access road at a concrete flume. Approximately 1500 cubic yards of earth are stored near the pond. This material will be used to backfill the pond when it is no longer needed. The pond was dry at the time of this inspection. There are no signs of instability with the pond.