INSPEC44103

• Permit No: C1981012
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: MINE NEW ELK COMMENTS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Minesite Inspection Narrative
Page 3 of
Drainage from the east side of the disturbed area at the silos and the topsoil pile
west of the RDA was not reporting to any drainage control. Also, refuse was
falling off the RDA beltline on both banks of the river and on the uphill side of the
highway, outside of any drainage control. As a result the State of Colorado issued
Notice of Violation C-93-126.
The topsoil stockpile west of the RDA beltline had material placed on it containing
rock and brush. According to Mr. Lopez this material had been salvaged from the
RDA, As the operator had not salvage material properly and placed rock and
brush on the stockpile the State of Colorado issued Notice of Violation C-93-127.
Coal refuse from the facility was being transported to the RDA by the beltline
during this inspection and then being spread by loaders. Shaping of material on
the active lift appeared to be within requirements of the permit and regulations.
Water was not being impounded on the top of the pile as was the case during the
April inspection, however material on the southeast corner where it was coming off
the beltline appeared fairly wet. While this did. not constitute a violation Mr.
Hernandez pointed this area out to !Ae Mr. Lopez and informed him that greater
care should be taken to see that material coming off the beltline had less moisture.
Some erosion on the channel on the east side of the RDA face on the upper end
of the pile was identified. This did.not constitute a violation but the operator was
told by Mr. Hernandez to make certain the channel is stable and maintained as
needed.
The operator had improperly placed lubricant and oil in a material storage area and
south of the western coal storage area and a spill had occurred. As a result the
State of Colorado Issued Notice of Violation C-93-125.
The section of stream buffer zone just west of the RDA beltline on the south bank
of the Purgatoire River that had been contaminated with coal during the April
inspection had been cleaned, seeded and netting had been tacked down to
stabilize the area. This area had been included in Notice of Violation C-93-058
that which was terminated in July of this year.
The area where a berm had breached and material from a coal stockpile had
washed into the river channel that was found during the April Federal inspection
was adequately repaired and appeared maintained. The repaired berm and slope
located on the northern bank of the river below the northern coal stockpile had a
good cover of vegetation and no erosion was noted on the repaired area. This
area was included in Notice of Violation C-93-036 issued during the April inspection
which has been terminated.