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<br />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 the 3rd quarter complete inspection of the McClane Canyon <br />Mine, conducted by Dan Mathews of the DMG Grand Junction Office, <br />accompanied by John Walters of Grand Valley Coal Company (GVCC). <br />Weather was clear and cool at the time of the inspection, but the <br />site was muddy in most areas as a result of heavy and persistent <br />precipitation several days earlier. <br />The mine site remains in active status, although no coal extraction <br />has occurred since April. The operator indicates that resumption <br />of mining activity is anticipated within the next several months. <br />Availability of Records <br />Required records were checked in the mine office. See attached <br />"Availability of Records" form. <br />Roads and Hydrologic Balance <br />The operator was using a loader/backhoe to clean out culvert inlet <br />sumps and sediment traps along the haul road at the time of the <br />inspection. Rainfall records at the mine office indicated five <br />successive days with rainfall, from Thursday, September 18 through <br />Monday, September 22. Precipitation recorded was .4", .4", .75", <br />2.5", and 1.2" for the five days, respectively. The 2.5" recorded <br />for September 21 significantly exceeds the 10 year/24-hour design <br />storm event of 1.7", and approaches the 100 year/24-hour event of <br />2.6". John Walters had called the DMG office on Monday, Sept. 22, <br />to report discharge through the primary spillway of the sediment <br />pond on Sept. 21. A sample was collected and Water Quality Control - <br />Division was notified by the operator. Due to the weather <br />conditions and forecast, the operator had worked at the minesite <br />over the weekend, to be able to respond quickly to problems if they <br />arose. Water samples were obtained from the various stream <br />monitoring sites, in addition to the pond discharge sample. <br />Evidence of storm runoff was readily apparent within ephemeral <br />drainages and steep hillslopes in the mine vicinity, although the <br />only stream which was flowing at the time of the inspection was <br />East Salt Creek. At the mine bench area, there was some scouring <br />within the ditch adjacent to the fill material stockpile at the <br />lower end of the bench, but the various diversion and collection <br />culverts, ditches and berms appeared to function effectively and <br />remain in compliance with approved designs. The originally <br />approved 18" disturbed drainage collection culvert at the lower end <br />D <br />