INSPEC24328

• Permit No: C1987072
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 7/8/2004
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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 partial inspection of the La Plata Coal Mine was conducted by DMG staff from the Durango Field
Office, 701 Camino del Rio, Room 125, Durango, CO 81301, phone [phone].
The permit was revoked in 1989. The surety, Rocky Mountain Bank & Trust, became the successor
operator for the purposes of completing reclamation. Rocky Mountain Bank & Trust has attained
Phase I and II bond reduction and has requested Phase III release for completion of reclamation. The
inspection for the Phase III bond release occurred on June 4, 2004. In the report generated from the
June 4, 2004 inspection, DMG indicated that Rocky Mountain Bank & Trust appeared to have
completed reclamation with the exception of repair to an isolated gully located in the main drainage
channel within the permit area. This inspection focused on the recently completed gully repair. Three
photos accompany this report.
DMG records indicate that the gully resulted from an intense precipitation event occurring during late
summer of 1996. DMG records do not indicate that the gully feature has enlarged since that time. As
shown in Photo 1, the lower portions of the gully appear stable due to the rocky nature of the soils and
dense vegetative cover. Recent repairs to the gully appeared to have been concentrated further
upslope where soils were less rocky and potential for future erosion existed.
As shown in Photo 2, previous gully development in upslope areas had exposed a soil stabilizing
erosion control mat. Recent repairs to the gully at this location included backfill, rock placement and
vegetation transplants (Photo 3). All work appeared to have been done with hand tools. Rock fill
material had been hand picked from surrounding surface locations. Disturbance to the established
vegetative cover had been minimized.