_INSPECTION - C1981022 (40) - Laserfiche WebLink

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III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE Below are 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 a complete inspection conducted by Joe Dudash of the Colorado DBMS. Jim Kiger represented the operator during the field inspection and the records check. The mine site was generally wet with some sections being muddy. A snowstorm came up during the field inspection that limited access and visibility. Signs and Markers The mine ID signs were up at the main entrance, east side entrance and at the Hubbard Creek fan site. The required information was on each sign. Surface disturbance markers were up around the disturbed areas. Roads The main entrance road was in good condition. The road ditches were welt maintained and straw bales were in place. The road to the Elk Creek facilities was also in good condition. The road to the east side gate was in good condition and was passable, although one section in the east yard area was muddy. Road ditches and culverts were functional and the outside road berm was in place. The short road segment to the West Valley Fill coal refuse pile was very muddy but passable. The road to the II-West refuse pile was not traveled due to the weather-related road conditions. The Hubbard Creek road that leads to the fan site was being maintained and improved by Bowie Resources for improved access to the Bowie No. 2 Mine vent shaft construction site. The snow on the access road to the Elk Creek Mine fan site had been graded off. Hydrolo~y Pond A, located at the main mine entrance next to the silos, had a little ice-covered water in it. The dewatering primary pipe and the road swale emergency spillway were functional. Pond B had ice-covered standing water to within a couple feet of the primary top. The pond embankment was stable and the pond B spillways were operational. In one corner of the pond area, the operator had piled up snow from road grading operations. The water level in pond D was about 1 foot below the top of the dewatering pipe. One of the dewatering pipe connections is in need of repair since a small trickle of clear water was discharging from the pond even though the water level was below the primary pipe discharge level. The operator samples the discharge. Pond C had only a little snowmelt in it. The concrete wall dam appeared to be stable. The east yard pond had a little water in it. The gated primary valve was closed and the emergency discharge pipe was operational. There was no water in the mine water treatment pond. There was a little snowmelt and ice in the substation no. 3 sediment pond. The emergency spillway was snow covered and the primary gated valve was in the closed position. Because the road conditions were so adverse due to the weather conditions, an inspection of pond E at the II-West refuse pile was not made. Pond E has a concrete wall dam. No problems were observed with pond F at the Hubbard Creek fan site. The pond embankment and spillways were covered in snow. Culverts and ditches were well maintained. Straw bales were in the road ditches for additional sediment control. The large diameter facilities culverts that underlie the facilities benches were functioning properly.