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-2- <br />I. RE4IEW OF MINE STATUS AT MID-TERM <br />The Munger Canyon Mine was issued a five (5) year permanent regulatory program <br />permit on January 12, 1983. A permit revision for an expanded operation to <br />include a central facilities area, coal processing waste disposal area and <br />interconnecting road and conveyor system was approved September 24, 1985. <br />These facilities and the expanded mining of federal coal as proposed and <br />described in the approved permit have not been realized due to recent market <br />conditions. The mine has been in temporary cessation since January 20, 1984. <br />At present, the disturbed area of the mine is approximately 9.2 acres. <br />In-place facilities include a single mine bench and five (51 entries, access <br />road, road drainage ditch and culverts, two topsoil stockpiles, and the <br />loadout at Loma. Small areas of pre-law disturbance have been reseeded for <br />soil stabilization, however, no reclamation, backfilling, regrading or <br />re vegetation is necessary to be performed during this temporary cessation of <br />operations. Maintenance of surface facilities is continuing, and a reduced <br />water quality monitoring program is in effect. <br />During the first half of the permit period, a review of inspection and <br />enforcement activities indicated maintenance of the roadside ditch to be a <br />continuing item of concern. Due to the high-angle slope cuts for the road, <br />sloughage into the ditch required that silt fences be constructed above <br />culvert inlets and that these be regularly maintained. Fabric downdrains were <br />placed at each of the five (5) culverts to protect these areas and Munger <br />Creek. A rill and gully stabilization plan was added to the permit on <br />August 4, 1983. <br />Since the permit was issued, a re vegetation study was suspended on <br />March 9, 1984 until permanent revegetation and reclamation occurs. Seasonal <br />monitoring of wildlife activity was suspended on August 12, 1983 until the <br />proposed expansion of the operation occurs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service (USFWS) concluded a study which designated that no disturbance be <br />allowed in established raptor buffer zones at the mine site. Afield <br />inspection during 1985 verified the Division's steep slope determination and <br />feasibility of the proposed coal processing waste pile as a suitable site. <br />Following the mine entering temporary cessation, a reduction in water quality <br />monitoring was approved. The downstream-of-mine surface water and groundwater <br />stations were retained and only major cations, major anions, iron and field <br />parameters were required for continued monitoring. NPDES reports for the <br />seven (7) permitted discharges have been regularly submitted along with <br />quarterly sediment pond inspection reports. A commitment to provide an <br />additional year of monitoring data at all the groundwater wells will be <br />completed during the third quarter of 1986. <br />