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C~ (Page 21 C, NINE ID 1 OR PROSPECTING ID 1 11.86-03;1 INSPECTION DATE 1-31-95 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS SSS OBSERVATIONS This was a ratine inspection of the Hess Pit operated by Sunnyside Gravel. DisWrbance of 9.5 acres is approved for renoval of gravel at this site. Gravel is to be reeved in 20 foot deep layers, fra south to north, maintaining an approzinately level facilities area behind the excavation. The pit will consist of B - 20 ft levels for a total Wined out depth of 160 ft. The nine plan nap in the approved permit indicates that the highwal! m the north end of the pit will be no steeper than 1.5:1 and the permit indicates that all slopes will be regraded W 3:1 or less for final reclamation. At the time of inspectim it appeared that the first 3 stages of the mine plan were rrearly co~lete. Anew excavation on the south end of the penit area appears to be the staet of stage four. The highxall left by stages two and three is approximately 30 ft. high and is near to vertical with same overhanging areas. The depth of each level of mining appears to be closer to IS ft. than the approved 20 ft. depth. This does not cause a probin; hoxever, mining the highwall to a vertical position and excavating up to the oath end of the permit area creates a siWation where backfilling and grading the highwall to a 3:1 slope ast be done fro the botta, upwards. This scenario requires a lot of material for backfilling which is not available on site and ast be imported. The costs for this labor intensive process rill be included in the revised reclamation cost estimate described in the following paragraph. The operator indicated that he was importing material fra his construction jobs to be used as backfill. This is acceptable, but the operator should be careful that all material imported is clean fill. If any xaste material such as concrete, asphalt, steel etc. is to be imported to the site for backfill, it may be necessary for the operator to contact the State Health Department and La Plata County regarding requirements associated with permitting the operation as an inert material disposal site. Changes to the Mined Land Reclamation Act, due to the passage of Senate Bill 91-177 in 1991, included the removal of the 55000.00 band cap for 11012) type penits. All Dine sites in Colorado are now required to be banded for the actual cost of reclamation if, in the case of penit revocation and bond forfeiture, the state were to put the reclamation work out for competitive bid. Review and recalculation of the reg~ired bond for reclamation of this operation will take place over the next fex mmths. A detailed estimate of the recalculated cost, based on the approved mining and reclamation plans and conditions observed during the inspection, will be forthcoming. Txo piles of asphalt were observed on site that the operator indicated xere rejected material fra a 1994 State Highway paving contract that Sunnyside Gravel completed. A subcmtracted asphalt batch plant operation was brought on site for the project. the batch plant was not at the site at the time of inspection, but the operator indicated a desire to conduct this type of operation at the site in the future. The current permit for the site does not include approval for asphalt or concrete production. The only praessing approved for the operation is crushing and screening. If additional processing operations are proposed for the future, the operator ast submit, and receive Division approval of, an application for Technical Revision which will incorporate these operations and associated environmental controls and reclamation requirements into the penit. In addition to the asphalt piles, there are numerous used oil and grease containers, used oil filters and waste e4lipment batteries improperly stored on site. Some of the waste 5-gallon buckets of lubricant are strewn about the site, with the majority piled in a 'bonevard' at the top of the highwall. The waste materials should be properly disposed of, or stored in a controlled manner to prevent unsi¢~tliness and protect the drainage system from pollution. All fuels, lubricants, asphalt piles, hazardous materials and chemicals will need to be stored in a controlled manner, at a designated location, with adequate spill prevention and spill containment controls. It should be noted that the financial warranty for the operation will be recalculated, including costs for disposal of the garbage and debris, should it remain on site. In 1987, the U.S. congress mended the Clean Hater Act to expressly include storm water discharges fro industrial sites as requiring Clean Hater Act controls. In 1990, EPA issued regulations that require specific industrial activities to obtain permits in order to discharge scorn water fra their facilities. Active and inactive Wining operations where stun water cores into contact with overburden, raw material, intermediate products, byproducts, finishedprod~cts or waste products looted at the mining site are specifically included. The deadline to apply for a storm water permit was October I, ]992. If a storm water permit for this mine has not yet been obtained, the operator ast Hake application for such a permit as soon as possible. If any stun water control structures are required to be constructed at the mine as a result of the store water pereitting process, a revision ast then be submitted to this Division to include the operational and reclamation aspects of such structures in the Reclamation Permit.