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Construction of sediment pond D at the base of the Elk Creek mine facilities area has not started yet. <br />Silt fences have been installed adjacent to and below the disturbed areas during construction. <br />Topsoil is still being relocated from the pile where the pond will be consttvcted. <br />Mr. Milner pointed out the locations of several of the ground water monitoring sites, springs and <br />seeps in Coal Gulch. Due to the deep snow cover we did not inspect the sites. <br />Explosives <br />The blasting notice and records for blasting were reviewed. Several large boulders were blasted as <br />construction began for the Elk Creek mine facilities. <br />Support Facilities <br />During the inspection, we drove to the degasification drill pad above Panel 5. Due to snow cover, it <br />was difficult to see all disturbances. However, as stated earlier, well CBM-1 is completed. <br />Methane from the well is being used to fuel the pump. Topsoil was salvaged from the pad area and <br />stockpiled in two separate piles on both ends of the pad. Both piles are marked. A bermed ditch <br />was installed below the pad to catch sediment. Straw bales are located at the ditch outlet. Two mud <br />pits were built during drilling. These were both snow covered. Two additional wells will be drilled <br />as mining progresses into Panels 5 and 6. <br />Development Waste <br />There has been no activity at [he West Valley fill for several weeks. Mr. Milner said OMI has <br />ordered a rotary breaker to better separate the coal from the waste and to reduce the amount of coal <br />that is placed into the pile. OMI is hoping this will reduce the amount of material going into the pile <br />by 60 percent. The gob in the east yard temporary storage area will not be placed in the pile until <br />after the rotary breaker is functioning. According to Mr. Milner, there is approximately 10,000 tons <br />of gob currently stored in the east yard. <br />