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• • ` Page 1 <br />-: <br />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 <br />enforcement actions taken during the inspection and the facts or evidence <br />supporting the enforcement action. <br />This was the third quarter complete inspection, performed by H. Ranney. <br />No other personnel were on site during the inspection. The permit for <br />this site has been revoked and the bond forfeit; however, reclamation <br />efforts have been assumed by the First National Bank of Florence. <br />First National Bank of Florence is considered the current operator. <br />Hydrologic Balance Due to past rainstroms, extensive rilling on the <br />reclaimed mine bench and portal area is evident. Since an adequate <br />sedimentation and runoff control system has not been constructed and <br />maintained, heavy erosion and downcutting on the main channel <br />underneath the conveyor system has occured. In addition to the lack <br />of an adequate sediment control system, the culverts and drop inlets <br />along the north side of County Road 120 adjacent to the scales are <br />full of silt and sediment preventing them from functioning as designed. <br />Due to the above mentioned problems, offsite damage has occured in <br />the form of an irrigation ditch being filled in with sediment. As a <br />result of these deficiencies, NOV C-91-010 was issued. <br />Support Facilities In accordance with the La Plata Mine permit, section <br />2.05.4 pg. 2,05-33, "At the completion of mining operations, portal <br />complexes, the office and shop structures, the coal crushing and <br />handling facilities and other facilities will be removed." Rule 4.04 <br />states that support facilities, to include conveyor systems, shall <br />be restored to prevent, to the extent possible using the best <br />technology currently available and control and minimize erosion and <br />siltation. The owner of this facility has not removed this structure <br />and the structure has hindered final reclamation. <br />Revegetation/Reclamation Success Vegetative growth on the reclaimed <br />slopes is very sparse and consists mostly of russian thistle, yellow <br />sweetclover and tumble mustard with a few patches of musk thistle <br />and knapweed. To date the site has not been seeded with the approved <br />reclamation seed mixture. This has contributed greatly to the high <br />erosion and sediment problems as noted above. Revegetation must <br />proceed this fall. <br />