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III. Comments - Compliance <br />,~ <br />v <br />Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of <br />observations made during the inspection. Comments also describe any <br />enforcement actions taken during the inppection and the facts or evidence <br />supporting the enforcement action. <br />Four culverts were mapped on the south and west side of the road cutting <br />through the loadout. The westernmost culvert had been buried and was not <br />found (IV.c.). The next culvert east (III.b.) had been mislocated on Map 13 <br />and was partially clogged. The culvert under the current entrance to the west <br />loadout was clear but the furthest culvert south was more than half full on <br />the inlet and outlet (IV.b.). <br />Section B of the north refuse ditch on the refuse pile was shallower than <br />designed (I.a.). The operator brought in a front loader to dig it out, but <br />thawing conditions halted their work prior to completion. <br />Sediment Ponds 4, 5, L.O. No.l and L.O. No. 2 have combination spillways and <br />Impoundments 2 and 3 have no spillways at all. The operator has commenced <br />permitting of emergency spillways, but final approval and subsequent <br />installation has not commenced. As a result, NOV 91-30 was written for <br />failure to comply with Rule 4.05.6(3)(d). <br />Pond 1 at the loadout handles drainage from the east end of the coal stockpile <br />and from the northern slope of Impoundment 2. It also discharges water pumped <br />from the adjacent pond which serves as a re-circulation and treatment site for <br />water from the coal processing plant. Pond 1 has been being dredged for the <br />last two months, according to the inspection reports, with little progress. <br />The sediment level was right at the crest invert elevation on the primary <br />valve. The approved sediment clean out level according to Map 21 is 1.76" <br />below this elevation. The metal apron on the west end of the pond was <br />undercut about 7 feet. Quarterly pond inspection over the last year <br />documented this condition and recommended repair. Mr. Weaver indicated that <br />calving in the area had been minimal during the past five years, that <br />instability appeared to have been a finding of rapid drawdown from pumping <br />between Pond 1 and Impoundment 2 by the previous owner. Nevertheless, NOV <br />91-31 was written for failure to maintain sizing for a 10-year, 24-hour event, <br />due to elevated sediment levels, and for failure to maintain the pond in <br />accordance with the design and engineer's recommendations. <br />Sediment level was also a concern at Pond 4. The sediment level immediately <br />below the primary discharge invert elevation 0.9' and it should have been 1.3' <br />in accordance with Map 23. However, Mr. Weaver provided aerial photos shot in <br />June, 1991, immediately following pond cleaning, that showed that cleaning <br />activities had not inciuded the area around the outlet works. Two men who had <br />worked on the project indicated that outlet works protection was a high <br />priority and equipment had stayed away from there. <br />Pond 4 has three culverts for the secondary spillway outlet works: the west <br />spillway, a center combination spillway, and the east spillway. The east <br />spillway was crushed closed on the inlet. It appeared that there was only <br />3"-4" of roadbase above the top of the Culvert. NOV 91-31 includes a citation <br />for failure to maintain Pond 4 in accordance with the design. <br />