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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. General Comments This was an aerial inspection of the reclaimed areas, active reclamation areas, and support facility areas at Seneca II-W. The flight was on the morning of 01/16/07. Harry Ranney of DRMS obtained 17 oblique and near- verticaldigital images. The images were viewed by Dan Mathews of DRMS on 01/19/07. Imagery covered most portions of the reclaimed mine area, with the exception of Pond 005 and lower segments of reduced Haul Road ..G,. There has been heavy snowfall in the mine vicinity during the last couple months, and detailed observations were prevented due to solid snow cover throughout the mine area. Hydrologic Balance Sediment Ponds 006, 016, 016A, and 017 were all full or nearly full, iced over and snow covered. Roads MEHR and HRD-A up to the junction with Ridgeline Road have been maintained; most other roads appeared to be impassable due to snow cover. Dragline was still sitting at the HRD-A/Ridgeline Road junction. The Oil Well road was snow covered, but it appeared that there had been some recent travel by wheeled vehicle. Backfill and Grading Pit area backfilling and grading has been completed and permanent drainage channels in most locations in the South Area active reclamation sites were at least roughly completed prior to the end of October. Final channel construction work will be completed during the 2007 field season, along with remaining road reclamation/reduction work. Major road reclamation tasks remaining including elimination/reclamation of the southern segment of HRD-K, and reduction grading of HRD-A and the MEHR, along with topsoiling and seeding of reduced segments of HRD-J and HRD-K. No evidence of recent slumps or slides was observed in the areas covered by the imagery, although snow cover prevented detailed observations. Snow was drifted deeply along the eastern side of the primary ridgeline, including areas immediately up-slope of the regraded ridgeline slide area. Drifts have largely obscured the diversion channel constructed up-slope from the slide, and cornices have developed along the crest of the slide. Topsoil Topsoiling operations were suspended at the end of October. A major portion of the graded area in the Wolf Creek mine block still remains to be topsoiled. Varying quantities of topsoil remain in several of the South Mine Area topsoil stockpiles, including Stockpiles XX, ZZ, and CCC. Fish and Wildlife A herd of 25 elk was bedded on a south facing reclaimed slope on the North Mine area, near the upper end of the 006-NE4 drainage. Networks of elk trails were evident in the snow in various portions of the reclaimed area in the northern portion of the mine area, primarily on south facing slopes.