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III. COMMENTS-COMPLIANCE Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. shadow and remnant snow cover in some locations prevented detailed observation. Minor grading work was recommended in the previous report to re-direct runoff in certain locations on slopes to the north and east of the oil well pad. It could not be discerned whether this work has been completed. However, given that snow appears to have only recently melted, it is likely that equipment has not yet been able to access these locations, and the work will need to be completed when conditions allow. There appeared to be minor channel erosion in lower sections of 006 and 006-NE1 permanent channels. Grading and riprap repairs will likely be necessary along these segments. Additional riprap may also be warranted along the Pond 006 inlet segment below the Culvert Al outfall. Backfill and Grading Current Project Areas Significant progress has been made with respect to backfilling and grading since the previous inspection within the Wadge ridgeline or "neck pit", the north leg pit segment within the 016 watershed, and the southern-most segment of the Wadge Pit within the Pond 017 watershed. Backfill and grading of South Extension Area Wadge Pits has been initiated ahead of schedule, because the operator has made the decision not to implement the highwall mining approved in PR-4. As a consequence of this decision, reclamation operations have been initiated in the Wadge pit areas that had been left open for highwall mining. Anew permit revision application (PR-5) is being prepared by the operator and is expected to be submitted this month. PR-5 will address significant mine plan changes including withdrawal of highwall operations and early cessation of coal extraction (2005/2006), The revision will also include amended reclamation plan and schedule, including revision of the approved backfilling and grading schedule, postmine topography, and postmine drainage channel construction plans for the South Extension Area. At the time of this aerial inspection, the fleet of 4 new Komatsu "375 A" dozers were conducting rough backfill and grading operations in the Pond 17 Wadge Pit area. Final grading in this area is scheduled for completion in 2007, under the current permit. Spoil ridge material had been pushed down along the length of this pit. The highwall had been eliminated along the upper third of the pit, and rough grading had been completed within the upper pit area. Neck pit rough grading appears to have been essentially completed within the 2005 grading deadline area since the March inspection (2003 and 2004 grading deadline areas were previously completed). Substantial backfilling has also been accomplished in the north leg Wadge Pit (2006 grading deadline), with highwall substantially eliminated along the length of the pit, and spoil ridges pushed down. Substantial backfill and grading remains to be done within this pit area, and at least one scraper and a dozer were working in this location at the time of the inspection. Backfill and grading is substantially completed at the south end of the south leg Wadge Pit (2004 grading area) and has been initiated at the north end (2006 grading area). The middle segment of this pit (2007 grading areal remains open, with minimal backfilling initiated. Backfilling and grading was previously completed in the original permit area portions of the "A", "B", "C" and "D" Pits. Rills and Gullies It could not be determined with certainty whether rill and gully stabilization and associated minor regrading work had been conducted on recently reclaimed slopes in the vicinity of the oil well pad, as recommended in the March inspection. Because additional snowfall occurred shortly after that inspection, and snow cover had only recently melted, it is likely that the work had not been conducted prior to the aerial inspection. 4