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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 inspection <br />and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />This was a partial inspection of the Seneca II-W Mine conducted on November 14, 2001 by Mike <br />Boulay of the DMG. Robert Shevling of Seneca Coal Company was present during the entire <br />inspection. Weather conditions were clear and cold. Ground conditions were dry throughout the <br />majority of the site. Coal was being hauled from the mine at the time of the inspection, and [he <br />dragline was operating in the South Area pit. Auger mining was in progress at the eastern end of <br />the A Pit. <br />Hydrologic Balance <br />Site Ponds 005, 006, 009, 015, and 016 were inspected. Pond 005 was not holding any <br />significant amount of water. Ponds 006, 009, and 015 were retaining water but not discharging. <br />Pond 016 was full and discharging clear water. Some scouring had occurred on the outslope of <br />the Pond 016 embankment below the discharge pipe. The damage was not significant and the <br />necessary repairs have been completed. <br />Backfill and Grading <br />Stipulation No. 28 to the permit requires that backfill and grading of the D Pit commence by <br />November 15, 2001, unless SCC files an application requesting a variance for delay in <br />contemporaneous reclamation. Since the last inspection, coal has been removed from the D-Pit. <br />The coal removal activity was completed on November 13, 2001. According to site personnel, <br />no more coal will be removed from the D-Pit. <br />Backfill and grading operations commenced at the D-Pit on November 14, 2001. A dozer was <br />observed during this inspection working in the east end of the D Pit pushing spoil back into the <br />pit area. <br />Topsoil <br />During the last inspection, the eastern perimeter of the South Area pit at the location of NOV <br />CV-2001-002 was inspected from the top of [he slide. From this location, the site of the NOV <br />appears stable with grass and other vegetation becoming established and no new signs of erosion. <br />During this inspection, the bottom of the slide area was viewed. The bottom of the slide area can <br />be accessed by walking up from the location of Pond O l5. From this lower vantagepoint it is <br />apparent that hydromulching did not reach the entire slope and some rills and gullies are <br />beginning to form in the lower half of the slide area. Please continue to monitor the location of <br />the slide and make any necessary repairs to ensure the stability of the reclaimed slope. <br />