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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 <br />inspection and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />This was a combined partial and Phase I surety release inspection of the New Horizon Mine for <br />the month of December, 1 997. The site continues to produce coal at its normal pace and has <br />recently had an expansion of the permit area approved. The weather conditions were cloudy and <br />cold. Approximately 6-10 inches of snow was on the ground at the time of the inspection. <br />Letters to all landowners and interested parties concerning the bond release inspection were <br />mailed out but no one other than Division and mine personnel were present for the inspection. <br />HYDROLOGIC BALANCE: Mine 1 : Ponds 1 and 6 had water in them but only 1 was discharging <br />as normal, all other ponds were dry. All ditches and culverts are functioning as designed. Mine <br />2: Pond 7 is functioning as designed. All ditches and culverts were clear and capable of <br />functioning as designed. Drainage reconstruction and control for the Phase I bond release area <br />was thoroughly inspected and found to be far superior to the original system. The main <br />drainages had broad and relatively mild slopes leading into the well vegetated channels. Only <br />insignificnt signs of erosion was evident in the stream channel itself. All water from the <br />disturbded area is routed to Pond 7 which is the only sediment control pond for the Mine 2 area. <br />All of the permanently reclaimed drainages in the release area blend into the sites original <br />topography and aid in the approved post mining land use of dryland and irrigated pastures. The <br />reclaimed topography, channel gradients and general engineered designs are in compliance with <br />all rules and regulations. <br />BACKFILL & GRADING: B & G was in progress as is normal for this operation. B & G for the <br />bond release area was closely inspected and no signs of differential settling at the face of the <br />highwalllpit interface, subsidence, or erosion were noticed. One small depression, approximately <br />10 feet in diameter and 6-10 inches deep, was noted in the release area. Since the site was <br />heavily vegetated and showed no signs of any water retention, no action was determined to be <br />necessary at this time. In the event that this particular depression settles any more or starts <br />ponding water, the operator has comitted to filling it in and reseeding it. All backfilling and <br />grading requirements of the bond release area are in compliance. <br />TOPSOIL: Topsoil piles are vegetated and marked. Although not required for this bond release <br />inspection, topsoil depths were randomly sampled, see attached map for locations, and found to <br />be in compliance with the requirements of the permit. The average depth of the samples taken <br />was 19.6 inches with an average required depth of 18 inches. <br />RECLAMATION SUCCESS: Vegetation continues to do very well. It is expected that with the <br />good snowfall received to date and the well establhed growth due to side-roll irrigation, that even <br />the dryland pastures will exceed expectations. <br />