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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 inspection <br />and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />General Comments <br />This was a partial inspection of the McClane Canyon Mine, conducted by Dan Mathews of the DMG Grand <br />Junction Field Office. Mine Manager Walter Whitledge was contacted at the beginning and the conclusion of the <br />inspection, but he did not accompany during the field inspection. Weather was clear and warm. Ground <br />conditions were dry. Coal was being conveyed out of the mine and loaded onto trucks at the time of inspection. <br />Signs and Markers <br />Permit I.D. sign needs to be replaced or modified to reflect the recent permittee name change, from <br />Central Appalachia Mining, LLC to CAM Mining LLC. <br />Roads <br />Haul Road surface, ditches, and culvert inlet sumps had recently been maintained and were in good condition. <br />The riprap plated fill embankment associated with the inlet to Culvert "P" had been built up and additional large <br />riprap had been placed below the outlet as requested in the previous inspection report. <br />Additional grading had been conducted with atrack-hoe along the haul road fill slope near the Culvert "H" inlet, <br />to pull excavated sediment away from the creek channel. Some further grading is recommended to achieve <br />a more uniform slope below the road berm (lower half of slope is still quite steep), and gouging of the <br />final slope to provide a better seedbed is recommended. As an alternative to the grading and <br />roughening, an erosion control blanket product (straw, fiber, or excelsior mat) could be staked down on <br />the slope following seeding. <br />The metal gate post which had partially obstructed the inside road ditch and interfered with ditch maintenance <br />had been removed as recommended. <br />Hvdrologic Balance <br />There was flow in East Salt Creek, but not in McClane Creek, at the time of the inspection. <br />The sediment pond contained water above the elevation of the gated spillway inlet. The pond should be <br />dewatered by opening the spillway gate, upon confirmation that the dewatering can be accomplished in <br />conformance with discharge standards. The embankment appeared stable, with no evident settling or <br />seepage. <br />SAE silt fences were properly maintained and functional. <br />Maintenance of riser structures associated with diversion culverts "A" and "D" appeared to have been properly <br />completed. Berms and associated disturbance areas should be seeded. Wood pallets at the Culvert "A" <br />inlet need to be removed, and the safety fence needs to be replaced. <br />Additional maintenance is warranted on the disturbed area collection ditch behind the shop building on <br />the portal bench. The old broken up shotcrete material on the steep segment of the ditch has been removed <br />and will be replaced with a comparable metal structure. A water wagon currently stored in the ditch will need to <br />be removed, and grading will be warranted to eliminate ruts and ensure proper drainage. <br />The dried material from in the sediment drying area adjacent to the sediment pond had recently been hauled to <br />the coal waste disposal site in the Munger Canyon permit area. A small quantity of mud and coal fines from <br />recent ditch cleanout had been placed in the drying area subsequent to removal of the dried material. <br />