_INSPECTION - C1981028 (38) - 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 Janet Binns of CDRMS. Dan Kipp and Don MacDonald of Coors Energy Company accompanied the inspection. The mine no longer extracts coal,but the remaining surface pit(Pit B)is permitted to dispose of flyash. CEC caps,regrades,topsoils and seeds the pit as the ash fill progresses. Records: Records were verified in the mine office and found complete. CEC provided 2 copies of the 2008 Annual Report to the instructor during the inspection. No problems were found with the records. Roads: The haul road to the pit and return to the facilities were dry and well graded. The roads were not dusty although no watering of the roads was occurring at the time of the inspection. No ash was being hauled during the inspection nor was any spoil being worked at the time. The haul road is in good condition. Topsoil: Topsoil piles A-1 and B-1 are gently graded,the un-vegetated south faces of these piles have developed a crust that reduces the amount of wind blown sand off the piles. CEC has strategically place wind fences to reduce wind blown soil. These efforts appear effective as there is little evidence of wind blown drifts down wind from the stockpiles. Hydrologic Balance: Both the dugout pond and Pond 2 were dry. A small puddle of water was observed at the North end of Pit B. SMW-2 monitoring well has had sand drifted over a portion of the cap. This will need to be dug out when sampling this spring. Backfill&Regrading CEC continues to fill Pit B with ash. CEC continues to place ash on the lower bench at pit B. CEC continues to keep up on grading of ash. CEC indicated that the coal currently being used at the power plant contains roughly 11%ash. No blowing of ash or cover material was observed during the inspection. Support facilities: The office/warehouse area remains orderly and appears to have had some previously stored material removed or re-arranged. No additional construction of third party gas wells or ancillary oil&gas support facilities have been initiated. Revegetation: Reclaimed parcel 31 has been graded,topsoiled,and mulched. The parcel looks stable and does not show evidence of wind erosion of the topsoil resource. CEC will plant this parcel to sorghum this spring. Reclaimed parcel 30 continues to look stable. Some grass crowns show signs of beginning to green up slightly. The mine site is very dry and has not received any additional measurable precipitation since the Division's inspection in January. Vegetation through out the site looks stable. Wildlife: An American Kestrel was perched near Pit B during the inspection and several other non-identified hawks were soaring over the site. Numerous small animal(mice,vole,ground squirrel)tracks were seen throughout the reclaimed parcels. No problems were observed on site Pans 3 of 5 Panac hintPl 9/9R/9rl(W/initialcl ihh