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<br />III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br />Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made <br />during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the <br />inspection and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />This was a partial inspection of the reclaimed New Horizon Mine #1, <br />and the active Mine #2. Focus of the inspection was on success of <br />vegetation establishment. The inspection was conducted by Dan <br />Mathews of the DMG Grand Junction office, 2148 Broadway, #C-5, <br />Grand Junction, CO 81503, phone (970) 242-5025. Ross Gubka and Tod <br />LeFevre of Western Fuels-Colorado were present during the <br />inspection. Weather conditions were clear and warm. <br />Hydrologic Balance <br />Modifications to the primary and emergency spillway culverts <br />extending through the reconstructed 5th Street road embankment had <br />been completed, but some remaining rock placement and grading <br />remains to be done on the road embankment before the pond " <br />modifications can be certified. Water level was below the <br />elevation of the spillway culverts, but the rock in the road <br />embankment was acting as a french drain, such that water was <br />standing at the same level on both sides of the road. The pond was <br />not discharging. <br />Revegetation <br />Post mine land use at the active Mine #2 is a patchwork o€ <br />irrigated pasture, irrigated cropland (grass hay and alfalfa hay), <br />and rangeland, with differing seedmixes and topsoiling <br />requirements. At the reclaimed Mine i, post mine land use includes <br />rangeland and dryland pasture. Current practice regardless of <br />final land use is to irrigate using a side roll sprinkler <br />irrigation system for the first two or three growing seasons to <br />ensure successful establishment. Irrigation is continued <br />thereafter for irrigated pasture and cropland, and terminated for <br />rangeland and dryland pasture. The operator uses irrigation for <br />dryland establishment due to past seeding failures attributed in <br />part to insufficient precipitation. Success standards are in <br />general based on technical standards for production, with dryland <br />areas having a cover standard based on comparison to the upland <br />sagebrush reference area, and a technical standard for species <br />diversity. The only parcels to have a woody plant density standard <br />are rangeland areas at Mine 1, where the standard is either 250 or <br />750 stems per acre, depending on the area. <br />The area currently being mined is being reclaimed to irrigated <br />pasture, with a two lift soil salvage and replacement requirement. <br />Topsoil and subsoil was being stripped in advance of the active <br />