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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 partial inspection of the Yoast Mine conducted on May 26, 2005 by Mike Boulay of <br />the DMG. Henry Austin from the Office of Surface Mining conducted a special focus oversight <br />inspection on contemporaneous reclamation on this date. Roy Karo from Seneca Coal Company <br />was present during the entire inspection. Jim Stazk from the DMG also attended the inspection. <br />Weather conditions were sunny, windy, and cool. Ground conditions were mostly dry at the site. <br />As part of this inspection all current open pit areas and backfill and graded azeas were inspected. <br />At the start of the inspection the Operations Plan for Mining (Exhibit 12-1) and the Backfill and <br />Grading Plan (Exhibit 19-1 A) were reviewed. Open pit azeas include the north and south Wolf <br />Creek Pits, a portion of the South Valora Pit, and the Scraper Pit. <br />Backfill & Gradine <br />Backfill and grading operations were underway in the vicinity of the former highwall miner <br />location in the north Wolf Creek Pit. A D-11 dozer was backfilling spoil material in the northern <br />portion of the Wolf Creek Pit. There were no other dozers active at the mine site at the time of <br />this inspection. The north Wolf Creek Pit is designated for completion of backfill and grading in <br />2005. The dragline was operating in the south Wolf Creek Pit at the time of the inspection. The <br />south Wolf Creek Pit is currently approved for completion of backfill and grading in 2007. <br />The Scraper Pit and the South Valora Pit were viewed from the active haul road in the Yoast <br />South azea. Coal removal has not been completed at the Scraper Pit and this azea is designated <br />for backfill and grading in 2006. The South Valora Pit is approximately two-thirds backfilled <br />and is scheduled for completion of backfilling and grading in 2005. <br />Topsoil and Reve eg tation <br />A small portion of the Neck Pit azea was backfilled and graded in November 2004. This location <br />was inspected from above along Haul Road B. In accordance with permit conditions and <br />contemporaneous reclamation practices, this azea is scheduled to have topsoil replaced and to be <br />seeded as soon as practicable, but no later than Fall, 2005. <br />Two remaining areas that were backfilled and graded in 2004, located in the Yoast South azea <br />were inspected. One azea located across the current haul road from the South Valora Pit has been <br />completed (topsoil replaced and seeded). The other area is split in two sections by the haul road <br />accessing the Scraper Pit and remains to have topsoil replaced and seeded as soon as practicable, <br />no later than Fall, 2005. <br />