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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 conducted by Janet Binns of CDMG. Sandra White of RAG- Empire Corp. accompanied the inspection and provided access to the records. The mine is in Temporary Cessation. No active mining activity is occurring on the mine site. Snow cover throughout the mine site has melted off. Mine site is dry. Sporadic rain storms moved through the site during the inspection, but ground didn't even get wet during these brief storms. Records: Records were checked at the mine office. Records list accompanies this report. The mine insurance document filed on site expired on January I, 2004. The Division has received the renewed policy certificate, but a current certificate needs to be filed on the mine site with the records. Please provide proof of policy renewal with the records at the mine site. Hydroloeic Balance: Empire pumps activate pumping underground mine water out of the mine at the North Angle 7 location based upon water elevation within the mine. The pump was not pumping at the time of the inspection. No. 5 Mine was actively discharging at the time of the inspection. Discharge measured 0.8 on staff gauge on the discharge flume. Discharge water was clearer than the water flowing in the receiving stream, Williams Fork Aiver. Treatment ponds 5-P5, 5-P6 and S-P7 were holding water and showed no sign of needing maintenance. Embankments were well vegetated. Pond SA-PI was holding a small pool of water. No concerns were noted with this pond. SH-Pl and SH-P2 were dry. Slopes had good vegetative cover. Pond 9P2 was holding water but was not discharging to Pond 9P3. Pond 9P3 was not discharging on staff gauge. Ponds S-P2, 5-P3, 9P1, 9P4, 9PS, 9P7, and 9P8. were all dry and well vegetated. Pond 9A-Pl on the Williams Fork area was holding water, embankments well vegetated and no weeds noted near this pond. The south cell of the HR pond held water well below discharge level. No structural problems were observed on any of the ponds. Ditches throughout mine site appear to be functional. Some low spots were observed along the berm of Ditch 5-D1 along the South and East sides of the coal storage pad at the No. 5 Portal. Shaping up of this ditch is needed. A spot along Ditch 5-Dl has had material placed in it immediately south of culvert S-Dl b. This material needs to be removed. Backfill and Grading: A portion of the No. 5 portals have been backfilled to the post mining contours, topsoiled and seeded while a portion of the No. 5 portal face up has been backfilled to a temporary configuration. No tilling or gullying has occurred on the recently regraded No. 5 backfilled slope. The SA portal area remains un- reclaimed Reve etg ation: The Williams Fork Pit area was inspected. Vegetation is fair. Vegetation throughout the mine site is beginning to green up. Pronghorn have grazed some of the hill tops to the root crowns. Vegetation sampling for the Pasture reference area should be conducted in the near future to resolve Stipulation No. 10. Fish and Wildlife: Pronghorn Antelope were observed through out the mine site. A large herd of about 30 head of Pronghorn were observed at the Williams Fork pit. Subsidence: Subsidence features at the old Wise Hill Mine, North of the Old Shop area remain opened up over the pre-law workings mine fire. These workings have been burning underground for many years. RAG-EC has flagged off the azea. DMG-AML program is in the process to secure this feature. The openings do not appear to have gotten larger. General Mine Plan: Pettttitting actions RN-04, MR-44, and MR-45 remain under review