_INSPECTION - C1982057 ‎(71)‎

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 6/17/2009
• Email Name: DTM
• 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.
General Comments
This was a complete inspection of the II-W Mine, conducted over the course of three days. Roy Karo, Seneca
Coal Company(SCC) Reclamation Manager, was present during most of the inspection. On the morning of
6/18, 1 accompanied Dr. Bob Musselman of the Forest Service Rock Mountain Research Station (RMRS)and
Dr. Frederic(Skip)Smith, Forestry professor at Colorado State University, to view study plots located on
reclaimed areas at the mine. RMRS has established aspen and serviceberry study plots for two separate but
related experiments over the last five years on reclaimed areas at Seneca II-W and the nearby Seneca Yoast
Mine, in cooperation with Seneca Coal Company, and partial funding from an OSM Technology Transfer grant
program. Roy Karo did not accompany on the study plot viewing portion of the inspection.
Weather ranged from mostly clear to mostly cloudy, with a few periods of rain during the course of the
inspection. There had been heavier rains prior to the inspection (on 6/15), and there was overnight rain on
several nights during the week. Ground conditions ranged from moist to muddy. Wet conditions that have
prevailed since snowmelt in mid-April, have hampered or prevented equipment access to perform maintenance
and erosion control work on much of the mine site.
The mine has been largely reclaimed, with the exception of the shop area and entrance road. Large scale
drainage maintenance, slide repair, and weed control are on-going activities.
Availability of Records
Records were checked in the Seneca Mine Office on the afternoon of 6/18/09. Required records were on file
and up to date through the 1 st quarter, 2009.
Roads
Road surfaces were soft during most mornings but tended to dry by mid-day, and were generally in good
condition. Some road ditch maintenance work had recently been completed, notably in the vicinity of the junction
of the Oil Well Road and MEHR, and along the lower section of Road "A". A track-hoe was on site installing a
large riprap drop structure to stabilize a gully head-cut a short distance below the Culvert A-5 outlet along the
south end of the Ridgeline Access Road, noted in the previous inspection. Additional large riprap had been
deposited along locations on either side of the Tie Across Haul Road on "Coffee Break Hill", for use in repair of
eroded ditch down-drains noted in the previous inspection. An eroded channel originating from flow off the east
side of the Ridgeline Access Road, approximately 300 yards beyond the Substation LUR junction, had been
repaired since the previous inspection; the eroded segment was graded and turf reinforcement mat(TRM)was
installed.
Various other road drainage maintenance items noted in the May inspection report have yet to be completed; in
the case of check structure cleanout along Roads"A"and"J", conditions have not dried sufficiently to allow for
effective cleanout and repair. Maintenance of culverts and outlet sediment control structures along Road
"J" need to be maintained as soon as conditions allow.
Hydrologic Balance
Sediment Ponds 005, 006, 009, 015, 016, 016A, and 017 were inspected, and appeared to be functioning
properly, with disturbed area runoff properly directed into the ponds. Stock ponds in the 005, 006, and 007
watersheds, and Stock Ponds T-26 and T-27 in the 016 watershed were observed; all held water close to pond
capacity and embankments appeared stable. Previously documented mine area springs and seeps were
actively flowing; no previously un-documented springs were noted. The following observations were made:
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