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III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br /> Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made <br /> during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection <br /> and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br /> This was a partial inspection of the McClane Canyon Mine conducted by Mike Boulay of the Division <br /> of Reclamation, Mining and Safety Grand Junction Field Office on April 20, 2009. There was no <br /> operator representative present during the site inspection. However, I did speak with Gary Isaac, Mine <br /> Manager for McClane Canyon Mining LLC (MCM) at the mine office prior to the inspection. He <br /> indicated that they had a roof fall occur in the mine and that the personnel that would normally <br /> accompany me on inspection were underground at this time. <br /> Gary also described the location of a recent archeological dig conducted by Grand River Institute at a <br /> location beneath the rock outcrop overhang west of the existing temporary coal waste and sediment <br /> storage pile. The location is within the disturbance area that was recently approved with Technical <br /> Revision#16 (TR-16) for the new Coal Mine Waste Disposal Site and the new sediment pond. The <br /> location is approximately 450 feet southeast of the Mine Office and is at the approximate location for <br /> the new Construction Material Stockpile. This location would likely be covered over by the stockpile <br /> and facilities associated with the new Coal Mine Waste Pile plan. Jim Stover of J.E. Stover& <br /> Associates (consulting engineer for MCM) stated to me during a telephone conversation on April 21 sc <br /> following my inspection that he directed Grand River Institute to do an archeological survey of the <br /> area. He also indicated that this location may have been inadvertently overlooked because an <br /> archeological survey had not been conducted for the general mine site area since the McClane Canyon <br /> Mine was initially permitted nearly thirty years ago in 1980. <br /> Gary Isaac informed me that some charcoal layers and flint were found in the excavation by Grand <br /> River Institute. I inspected the location of the trench and was careful not to disturb the site or <br /> surroundings. <br /> Roads <br /> Coal was being loaded and hauled from the mine site to the Cameo Power Plant. Roads were <br /> maintained and in good condition throughout the site. Ditches were clear of sediment and debris and <br /> were recently cleaned and regraded. At the time of the inspection, MCM was watering roads for dust <br /> suppression. <br /> Hydrologic Balance <br /> Weather conditions were sunny and cool. Ground conditions were mostly dry. Drainage structures <br /> and diversion culverts in the portal area were clear of debris and appeared to be functional. The mine <br /> was not discharging water at the time of the inspection. The sediment pond was containing muddy <br /> water a few feet below the level of the principal spillway. The site is well maintained and no problems <br /> were noted during this inspection. <br />