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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1994-081 <br />INSPECTION DATE 1/28/09 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO <br />This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of Construction Materials 112c permits. The operator <br />was contacted about the scheduled inspection, but was not present during the inspection. The site was inactive at the time of <br />the inspection. There was no snow or moisture on the site, and the wind was gusting up to 30-40 mph. <br />The required permit ID sign as well as a "No Dumping" sign were posted at the entrance to the site. The road entering the site <br />contains no gate or other barrier. <br />The road entering the site leads to two pits that exist on the site. The eastern one is larger, covering about 4 acres and is an <br />average of about 8 feet deep. A couple more acres to the NE have been stripped of the native peat layer, but have not been <br />excavated. Some of the stripped peat has been piled onsite. The peat is crumbly, dry and fine in texture. When stripped it is <br />chunky to dusty. The smaller-sized peat (and sand) was observed to be carried by the stronger gusts. The material under the <br />peat is a fine sand. Most of the side slopes of the eastern pit appear to be an average of about 2:1, which is fairly stable. The <br />floor is flat with no evidence of ponding of water or leaching of alkali. There were no stockpiles of peat or sand in the eastern <br />pit <br />A minor amount (<10 cu yds) of household trash was observed in the eastern pit, which might have been dumped by <br />unauthorized persons. There is no dumping or disposal allowed, and this office has received occasional complaints about that <br />in the past. Dumped items observed in the pit include parts of televisions, washing machine, and furniture. There were no <br />items noted which were leaking or releasing any contaminant. Some of items have been used extensively for target shooting, <br />which does not change the fact that they are dumped items that are not approved by the permit and must be removed. A <br />problem has been noted on page one of this report, for the trash, since it is not in compliance with the approved mining plan. <br />The corrective action is that the operator is required to remove all the trash and debrus items within 60 days and dispose of <br />them all in a proper facility. See the last page of the report for the correction date. <br />The western pit is about 3 acres and an average of about 6 feet deep. The side slopes in this pit were also about 2:1. There <br />was no trash or contaminants observed in this pit. The peat on about an acre of land north of the western pit had been <br />stripped, but the sand had not been excavated. That peat was largely pushed up into small piles. <br />However, the pit still contained a patch of tall whitetop, aka perennial pepperweed (Lepedium latifolium) a noxious weed on the <br />State's list: The patch was observed during the Division's last inspection (4/15/04) and was noted as a problem. The operator <br />corrected the problem by providing a weed control plan, but it is not effective or being properly implemented. The weed patch <br />is now considerably larger, covering a little less than half an acre of the west pit floor. This is noted as a revegetation problem <br />in this report. The corrective action requires that the operator contact the local weed control officer for a more effective plan, <br />and to submit to the Division this new plan and the operator's written commitment to properly implement the plan in 2009. The <br />plan must be adequate and also included into the permit under a technical revision (which carries a fee of $216). See the last <br />page for the date by which the technical revision submittal of the weed control plan and commitment must be received at this <br />office. The local weed control office is being sent a copy of this report (see the contact information below). <br />The peat is not saved onsite for use as a growth medium, and there is no "soil" layer to salvage. The reclamation plan calls for <br />grading and seeding directly into the sandy substrate. There was no revegetation seeding observed in the affected area. <br />Some sparce native vegetation covers the undisturbed land in the permit area. Very little vegetation exists on the stripped or <br />excavated land. The stripped and mind areas exhibit some tendency for wind erosion. The operator is right to limit the amount <br />of stripped land or the broken peat layer to reduce the wind erosion on those areas. He would do well to commence <br />revegetation on all areas that are reclaimed or not to be redisturbed. The site may prove difficult to revegetate and starting <br />earlier will be helpful. <br />The bond amount is $12,017. It has not been calculated in several years, and is now due for recalculation. If an increase is <br />indicated the operator will be sent the new figures. He must provide the bond increase within 60 days of the Division's notice. <br />(The operator should note that weed control and trash removal will be included in the new bond amount as long as they are <br />deemed to be needed.) <br />Cont.