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III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br />Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made during the <br />inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection and the facts or <br />evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />This was a complete inspection conducted by Joe Dudash of the Colorado DRMS. No one represented the <br />operator during the field inspection but Basil Bear was present for the records check. There had been a <br />precipitation event over the weekend so some of the mine site areas were still wet. <br />Unit Train Loadout <br />There was no activity at the train loadout. All three gates were open and mine ID signs were up at each gate. <br />Surface disturbance markers were up around the site. The operator continues to draw down the gravel-sized <br />concrete stockpile that came from the demolished concrete silos. The gravel is being used at the Bowie No. 2 <br />Mine. There were no problems with the bridge or the railroad spur line, although some of the silt fence at the <br />reclaimed section of the rail line could use a little repair. <br />The sediment control system was operational. Collection and diversion ditches had sufficient capacity. The <br />culvert leading into the sediment pond was clear. The sediment pond did not have any standing water in it. The <br />primary discharge gate was closed and the emergency spillway was clear. The sediment pond's bin wall <br />embankment appeared to be stable. There was irrigation water flowing through the central diversion system of <br />ditches and culverts. There was only a trickle of water in the Farmer's Ditch, which flows through a culvert <br />underneath the sediment pond. <br />West Mine <br />The road up to the site was in good condition, although the road leading up to the former fan site was very wet. <br />The backfilled area of the west mine had a good vegetative cover with no signs of slope instability. The two <br />sediment ponds did not have any standing water in them. The two pond embankments appeared to be stable. <br />Surface disturbance markers were up around the disturbed azea. The mine ID sign was also up. <br />East Mine <br />The front gate to the east mine was locked and the mine ID sign was up at the entrance. The paved haul road that <br />goes up to the crusher/screener bench was in good condition, as was the dirt road up to the portal bench and <br />utility bench. The operator has begun to dig out the bench outslope fill next to the north end of the west ridge <br />waste pile in order to make room for the permanent disposal of the coal refuse still at the run-of--mine stockpile. <br />No new reclamation has occurred on the utility bench, portal bench or the shop bench. Cut and fill slopes were <br />stable. The portal bench highwall was also stable. Surface disturbance markers were up around the site. <br />Sediment ponds 1, 3 and 4 were dry. Sediment pond 2 had a little standing water in it. The bin wall <br />embankments for all four ponds were stable. <br />The west ridge waste pile had a good vegetative stand. The drainage ditches and culverts were functional. The <br />terraces were stable. There was no water in the sediment pond. The old waste pile appeared to be stable and had <br />a good vegetative cover. <br />