_INSPECTION - C1994082 ‎(42)‎

• Permit No: C1994082
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 10/15/2008
• Email Name: SB1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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 partial inspection of the Yoast mine site. On October 15 Roy Karo accompanied me on the
site visit. On October 16, Dr. Bob Musselman and Lance Asherin from the US Forest Service, Rocky
Mountain Research Station; and Dr. Wayne Sheppherd and Dr. Frederic (Skip) Smith from CSU
accompanied Dan Mathews and myself on a tour of the aspen shrub plots. Weather was clear on the
151h and clouded up on the 161h. Reclamation is nearly complete at the Yoast Mine.
Pond 12 and 12A were inspected. SCC has constructed the new 12A pond upstream of Pond 12 that
has been impacted by an adjacent slide body. SCC, working with a geotechnical consultant, has
installed several piezometers in the slide body this summer. They will be monitoring movement in the
slide mass next spring before completing final reclamation in this area. The channel between the two
ponds has been completed and is lined with turf reinforcement matting.
Sheep were grazing on the Yoast reclaimed areas for a couple weeks late this summer. They were
recently moved elsewhere.
Repairs on Upper Annand Draw have been completed and were observed. SCC has reworked this area
and placed turf reinforcement matting in the eroded channel observed last spring. The channel width
was increased and five widths of fabric have been placed along the length of the upper channel in the
widened channel.
Haul Road A has been narrowed and topsoiled along the reclaimed shoulders. SCC did a good job of
reclaiming this haul road.
Reclamation has been completed on the deadhead dragline route below the powerlines on the
Maneotis' property. A channel has been reconstructed and lined with turf reinforcement matting.
Photos are attached.
The aspen plots were toured on Thursday October 16. Dan Mathews provided a good summary of the
plots in his October 16, 2008 inspection report for Seneca II-W. Seneca has established two fenced
plots at Yoast, one adjacent to the upper section of the mine entrance road and the other in the
reclaimed North pit area. The larger of the two is adjacent to the entrance road. As seen in the
attached photo, it is evident in this plot that the weed fabric has been very effective in controlling
competing vegetation. The aspen and serviceberry survival rate and growth is noticeably higher in the
fabric lined rows. In the alternating rows where there is no weed fabric, the aspen and serviceberry
success is less after this first growing season. In this plot, there is also a small patch of native aspen.
The trees are somewhat ragged due to heavy browse pressure prior to fence installation; however
according to the RMRS and CSU experts the trees have a good chance of thriving, now that the grazing
pressure is reduced with the fence is in place. The plot in the north pit is smaller in size. The aspen
trees and serviceberry in this plot are also smaller in statue than the other plot, although there is no
correlation to plot size. The results are similar to the other plot; however the differing results between
the weed fabric lined and unlined rows are not as pronounced. After the first year of growth, use of the
weed control fabric appears to be a good method for promoting aspen and serviceberry establishment.