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III. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br />The following discussion of observations and findings focuses on the reclamation and abandonment of <br />the groundwater monitoring wells and exploration holes for which bond release was requested. <br />Reclamation of the monitoring wells, with certain exceptions, was performed in 2002. Wells GW-N4, <br />GW-N4R, GW-N5, and GW-N27 were reclaimed in 2001. Wells GW-16, GW-17, and GW-18 were <br />reclaimed in 1992 by Peabody Coal Company while WFC was in the process of acquiring the New <br />Horizon Mine from them. The 27 exploration boreholes were all reclaimed in 2005. <br />A full Phase I, II, and III bond release inspection of groundwater monitoring wells and exploration <br />drill holes at the New Horizon Mine was conducted on May 10, 2007 by Mike Boulay of the Division <br />of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety. Mr. Tom Fry Engineering Tech. for Western Fuels-Colorado <br />(WFC) accompanied the Division during the entire inspection. None of the land owners of record <br />attended the inspection; however, all land owners were notified of the inspection via certified mail. <br />Weather conditions were sunny and warm, and ground conditions were dry. <br />This bond release inspection was conducted pursuant to WFC's Bond Release Application (SL-09) <br />submitted October 24, 2006 requesting release of 21 groundwater monitoring wells and 27 <br />exploration drill holes. The reclamation of these wells and drill holes was inspected and records were <br />reviewed with regazd to availability of abandonment reports. The following wells and drill holes <br />were included as part of the bond release request. <br />Groundwater Monitorin Wells <br />GW-N1 GW-N4 GW-N4R <br />GW-NS GW-N10 GW-N11 <br />GW-N16 GW-N17 GW-N18 <br />GW-N22 GW-N23 GW-N24 <br />GW-N25 GW-N26 GW-N27 <br />G W-N28 G W-N29 G W-N31 <br />GW-N32 GW-N33 GW-N35 <br />Ex loration Drill Holes <br />NHOS-1C NH05-4C NHOS-SC <br />NHOS-6C NHOS-7C NHOS-8C <br />NHOS-9C NHOS-IOC NHOS-11C <br />NHOS-12C NHOS-13C NHOS-14C <br />NHOS-15C NHOS-16C NHOS-17C <br />NHOS-18C NHOS-19C NHOS-ZOC <br />NHOS-21C NHOS-22 NHOS-23 <br />NHOS-24 NHOS-25 NHOS-26 <br />NH05-27 NHOS-28 NHOS-29 <br />A hand-held, survey grade GPS unit was used to field locate the former monitoring well and <br />exploration-hole locations (see attached Photo 1). In all but only a few cases there was no evidence <br />of the former monitoring well or drill hole in the field. This is due to the fact that the number of acres <br />