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III. COMMENTS - COMPLIANCE <br />Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of <br />observations made during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement <br />actions taken during the inspection and the facts or evidence supporting the <br />enforcement action. <br />This was an OSM Special Focus inspection of sites in Temporary Cessation <br />conducted by Kent Gorham of the Colorado Division of Minerals and <br />Geology. Mitch Rollings of the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) was also <br />present. Ron Thompson represented the operator, Picketwire Processing, <br />LLC. This former underground mine is permitted to process coal from the <br />nearby Lorencito Coal mine (#C-96-084). Due to economic conditions, the <br />Lorencito Canyon mine has not commenced operations at this time and the <br />New Elk mine remains in temporary cessation until coal is produced. <br />Underground mining ceased at the New Elk mine in the late 1980's and <br />processing of coal firom the Golden Eagle mine (#C-81-013) ceased in March <br />of 1996. Activities at the New Elk mine consist mainly of monitoring and <br />maintenance during temporary cessation. The weather was hot and breezy <br />and ground conditions were dry. <br />Availability of Records <br />The public copy of the mine records is kept at the Tri-state Railyard <br />ofifice located along Highway 12 on the west side of Trinidad. Records <br />were inspected at the site and found in compliance as detailed on the <br />attached checklist. <br />Roads <br />Roads at the site were found smooth and well maintained with no ruts or <br />damage. Road ditches and culverts appeared in functional condition. <br />Hvdrolopic Balance <br />All ponds and containments at the site appeared in good condition. <br />Containments No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 were found dry. Containment No. 1 had a <br />small puddle of water in it. Pond 4, pond 5, and pond 6 were also dry. <br />Pond 7 had a small amount of water in it near the outlet but was 3-4 feet <br />below the lowest set of holes in the riser. Pond 8 (RDA) held water but <br />was also 3-4 feet below the outlet. Dry conditions have prevailed this <br />year so far. <br />Ditches were found in good condition throughout the site. Ditch D6 <br />immediately southeast of ditch D7 had a small amount of sediment <br />deposition that requires maintenance. One hundred feet west of where the <br />berm and ditch D5 meet also requires maintenance. Ditch D24C was should <br />be bladed at the next opportunity near the coal silos. Ditches protecting <br />the Purgatoire River appeared in good condition throughout the site. <br />- - 3 <br />