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III. Comments - Compliance <br />Below are comments on the inspection, The comments include discussion of <br />observations made during the inspection. Comments also describe any <br />enforcement actions taken during the inspection and the facts or evidence <br />supporting the enforcement action. <br />On August 27, 1991, Cathy Begej performed a complete inspection at <br />the Grassy Gap Mine. Mr. Tom Emmett (Albuquerque Field Office, <br />Office of Surface Mining) accompanied Mr. Robert Inman on an <br />oversight review of Approximate Original Contour(AOC) issues at <br />Pits 5 and 6. This review was performed at the request of Henry <br />Austin, (Albuquerque Field Office, Office of Surface Mining) <br />following his review of records during a February, 1991, oversight <br />inspection. <br />The Rockcastle Coal Company originally mined the Grassy Gap Mine <br />under pre-law permit 78-45. A complete application for a Permanent <br />Program permit was accepted by the Division February 27, 1981. <br />Prolonged permitting followed, and a Permanent Program permit was <br />issued April 23, 1985. During the intervening period the 22.3 <br />acres of Pit 5 was seeded July, 1984, and the 10.6 acres of <br />Pit 6 was seeded October, 1984. The permittee closed down <br />operations and sent the Division a Temporary Cessation letter on <br />June 21, 1985. <br />The Division had raised questions about AOC at Pits 5 and 6 on <br />December 16, 1988, as part of the Mid-Term Review. The operator <br />failed to adequately address adequacy concerns connected with the <br />Mid-Term review, and did not post adequate bond, and so a <br />Settlement Agreement was developed to achieve reclamation of an <br />open pit, to resolve outstanding permitting and enforcement <br />concerns, to prepare filings for bond release and to forfeit a <br />portion of the bond. The Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division <br />(CMLRD) is reviewing (AOC) issues as part of that June 26, 1990, <br />Settlement Agreement (Paragraph IV(1)) with the operator, <br />Rockcastle Coal Company. <br />Rockcastle Coal Company is obligated through the Settlement <br />Agreement to complete an engineering study identifying <br />geotechnically and geomorphically unstable areas of Pits 5 and 6 <br />which do not conform to the approved postmining topography. <br />Unstable areas are to be stabilized. Rockcastle Coal Company <br />contracted with ACZ Engineering out of Steamboat Springs, CO to <br />perform the studies. They prepared an analysis of the site dated <br />October 4, 1991, and submitted a mitigation design on January 21, <br />1991. The Division responded with adequacy questions on October <br />23, 1990, and April 24, 1991. At this point in time, the Division <br />is seeking mapping of the pits and requesting modifications to the <br />stabilization proposal. <br />