INSPEC12104

• Permit No: C1981044
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: OSM Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 3/15/2006
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Y
Eagle No. 5 & 9 Mines; pQ. 2
As indicated above, right of access litigation was dismissed during December 2005, and this
change in surface property owners will now help to facilitate the transfer /succession of operator
from RAG American to BTU Empire Energy (a Peabody Energy affiliate); responses from the
permittee to DMG regarding the bond release findings generated during the fa112004 bond
release application and inspection; and finalization of the pending permit renewal.
Permit stipulations 9 and 10 are still active within the pending permit renewal, and it appears the
permittee is in compliance with the stipulation requirements. AVS coordination with both DMG
and OSM is occurring regarding the transfer /succession of operators.
We reviewed the quarterly refuse pile inspections /certification, and quarterly sediment pond
inspections, which are both current through the last quarter of 2005 as required. NPDES /
DMR's are also current through the last quarter of 2005 with 2 outfalls reporting discharges
during that quarter due to mine dewatering. No effluent criteria were exceeded by the discharges
sampled and reported. The annual reclamation report from last year dated Feb. 20, 2005, was
available. The current bond amount for the site is $3,552,679.00.
Mr. Nettleton provided us with a complete overview of maintenance activities on site. All ditches
and culverts were maintained during the fall of 2005. General site maintenance including
removal of boneyard equipment and general clean up was also completed during fa112005. The
permittee is working to remove beaver dams just south of the permit area, and drain this area.
Tamarisk growth associated with the inundation from the beaver dams will be eliminated.
The permittee is evaluating existing buildings at the main facilities area for possible demolition,
including appropriate identification and disposal of asbestos materials, and county inspection, A
minor revision will be submitted to DMG if demolition activities will go forwazd. The permittee
worked with Moffatt County weed control during 2005 to treat approximately 400 acres during
both spring and fall sprayings. Mr. Nettleton also discussed management of adjacent pastures to
include wheat plantings, leading to eventual seeding of native pasture (not a mine related
practice or disturbance on these pastures, but this will reduce weed habitat and improve the
pastures). This concluded our office review.
We conducted a basic inspection of the main facility area, as noted above, our observations were
limited due to snow cover and blowing snow. The reclaimed mine 5 portal area appears stable;
and the mine site generally appears well maintained afrer last years general site maintenance and
clean up. We inspected the discharge of the 3 mine dewatering impoundments in series just west
of the Williams Fork River. Discharge was clear and noted at the 7.5 level on the weir staff
gauge. We noted some standing water around the pond embankments, and suspect it is from
recent snow melt prior to this current snow. Mr. Nettleton will monitor the ponds during snow
melt to confit7n this. This concluded the inspection as blowing snow conditions made additional
observations impossible.
Please address any questions concerning this inspection report to Henry Austin, Senior Reclamation
Specialist, at haustin(~osmre.trov or to [phone] x1466.