INSPEC32900 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

This was a partial inspection conducted as an OSM special focus oversight inspection on Wednesday, October 9, 2002. Jim Burnell of CDMG conducted the inspection along with Henry Austen of OSMRE , accompanied by Jim Kiger of Oxbow Mining LLC. The inspection dealt with two separate special focus topics -public notification of blasting activities and "small area exemptions" for sediment control. The OMLLC records were checked onsight for the years 2002, 2001, and 2000, regarding blasting notification. Verified records of publication were present for those three years and residents within a half mile of the blast site were notified by certified mail. The notification for the year 2001 included instructions on how to obtain apre-blast survey. That particular paragraph was not included in the notification for the year 2002 and this was discussed among the inspectors and the operator. No blasting was anticipated in the year 2002 and, in fact, none has been done. Pre- blast schedules were publised for all three of those years and discussion ensured as to whether residents within % mile of the blast OR'/z mile of the permit area should be notified. Oxbow Mining LLC appears to be in compliance regardless of the interpretation of that rule. Small area exemptions (SAE's) were inspected. The Lower Hubbard, East side of creek contained losts of sediment behind a silt fence that had been installed uphill of the site. (The site is bordered by a canyon wall - a cliff -and water during heavy rains a watertall obviously brings a good bit of sediment from the overhanging cliff and it's uphill area.) The silt fence had been added to prevent gullying of the site itself and has been functioning effectively. There was silt fence and straw bales at the downhill end of the site and some vegetation. There was no sign of offsite impact. The Lower Hubbard site, West side of Hubbard Creek is heavily vegetated because of its aspect which is more favorable to plant growth. There were remnants of straw bales remaining at the bottom, but no sign of off-site impact. The upper Hubbard site -topsoil pile - is heavily vegetated and actually overhung by trees, as it is located in the "bottomlands" of the Hubbard Creek riparian zone. There was no sign of off-site impact. Another upper Hubbard Creek site was listed as an SAE, but does not technically fit the definition. Its inclusion in the list was an artifact of changing rules and standards. The SAE consists of the outslopes of the Upper Hubbard Creek sediment pond, an area currently exempted from the SAE demonstration requirements. Most of the Upper Hubbard Creek pad drains into that pond; the pad itself consists of a graveled surtace with some vegetation. The US Forest Service has requested that it be kept as a trail head for the Hubbard Canyon trail, There are no issues of off-site impact at this location. The Bear Creek SAE is found at the location of a former fan site for the old (pre-law) U.S. Steel mine. There was some thistle growing on the site, along with bindweed. There were straw bales along the perimeter of the site and this measure appeared to have prevented any offsite impact, even from the abundant recent rains. At the north end of the Elk Creek disturbance, there is an SAE located where Elk Creek flows into the culvert beneath the Elk Creek facilities area. Much of the area is covered with very coarse rip rap. The north end of the SAE contains several layers of silt-fence. The clear water ditch around the Elk Creek topsoil pile also flows through that SAE and is equipped with several lines of straw bales.