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Page two <br />6. Basin has and will continue to promote environmental and regulatory <br />compliance. This commitment is even stronger with the recent <br />acquisition of a long term coal contract. Any actions against the <br />permit may jeopardize this contract and the overall employment and <br />economy of Las Animas County. <br />1. VIOLATION TERMINATION <br />As of this date, Basin has abated and terminated six of the ten <br />referenced NOVs. Technical Revisions to the permit have been submitted <br />for the other two NOVs which are in the approval process. Upon approval, <br />on-the-ground activities will be completed at which time the NOVs can be <br />terminated. The number and complexity of the NOVs has required <br />significant man power and expenditure for abatement activities which are <br />discussed below. <br />2. ANALYSIS OF COMPLIANCE HISTORY <br />For the period of March 1990 through March 1993 (previous three <br />years), only one NOV was issued at the Golden Eagle Mine for the <br />following: <br />Violation No. C-92--010 was issued on June 22, 1992 for failure to <br />submit at least semi annually to the Division results of the <br />subsidence monitoring program. The violation was terminated on July <br />27, 1992 following submission of the required information. <br />As noted, the Golden Eagle Mine compliance history is less than one <br />NOV per operating year. During this same period of time, the Division <br />conducted. regular monthly partial inspections and quarterly complete <br />inspections. The regular inspection typically included one inspection <br />day and the quarterly inspection one to three days. It was uncommon for <br />an inspector to be accompanied by another inspector or his Senior except <br />for the purpose of training. The total inspector days for the last three <br />years were 21 in 1991, 20 in 1992, and 57 in 1993 (January through <br />November). Throughout this period, Basin was in compliance with the <br />regulatory program. This contentlon is also supported by the fact that <br />the Golden Eagle Mine was presented the 1991 Large Underground Mine Award <br />for compliance by the Division and the Colorado Mining Association. <br />Since March of 1993, the Golden Eagle Mine has had 57 inspector days <br />resulting in the ten referenced NOVs. Six of these NOVs are related to <br />hydrology while the remaining four are for general performance standards. <br />Basin's review of the NOVs has classified them .into two general <br />categories including failure to maintain permitted facilities (9 NOVs) <br />and permit deficiencies as a result of policy changes (1 NOV). Many of <br />the NOVs are related to items which were permitted and/or maintained by <br />the previous owner of the property (prior to 1991) and inspected by the <br />Division. <br />