_INSPECTION - C1981017 ‎(11)‎

• Permit No: C1981017
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 10/31/2007
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE
Below aria comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made
during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection
and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action.
This was the second of a three part site visit which constituted the required fall 2007 fall inspection. In
attendance were members of the Public, Pitkin County the U.S. Forest Service and Division staff.
The focus of the inspection was reclamation success at:
- Mine Facilities Area
- Dutch Creek Diversion
- Coal Processing Area
- Road A
- Old Refuse Pile
- Sutey Refuse Pile
- Warehouse Area
- Upper and Lower Coal Stockpiles
- Overland Conveyor Corridor
- Rock Tunnel Waste Disposal Area
- Rock Tunnel and Lamp House Vicinity
The group walked from the main entry gate to the Rock Tunnel vicinity viewing the facilities listed
above.
Many of the reclaimed areas, notably the facilities area west of Road A, the Coal Processing Area, the
upper Warehouse Area, the Overland Conveyor Corridor the Rock Tunnel Waste Disposal Area, the
Rock Tunnel and Lamp House Vicinity and the now abandoned sediment retention ponds have been
altered by the current land owner.
The land owner is in the process of altering the post-reclamation land use from non-motorized
recreation and wildlife habitat to a more intensive use.
The Division is in the process of terminating its involvement on the private lands because it no longer
has any ability to maintain or control land uses at that area. This termination of jurisdiction is currently
being noticed in a local paper.
The private land owner has significantly changed the land forms on its property in many areas. These
changes have significantly altered the reclamation work completed previously completed by the
Division.
Property still managed by the U. S. Forest Service was also observed during the inspection. These
areas, and pertinent comments are noted below:
Road A: Road A is located predominantly on private property, but is a dedicated public easement
providing access to public properties westerly of the private property. The land owner is maintaining
this road. The private land owner has disturbed a previously reclaimed area east of the road,
approximately 150 yards southerly of the main gate. This area is apparently public property. The
degree of disturbance is so significant that trees, shrubs and grasses that were becoming established
have been removed by construction equipment. The area now resembles a parking or equipment off-
loading area.