_INSPECTION - C1981008 (50) - 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 partial inspection of the New Horizon Mine conducted on July 8, 2009 by Mike Boulay of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety Grand Junction Field Office. Ross Gubka of Western Fuels-Colorado (WFC) was present during the entire inspection. Weather conditions were sunny and warm. Ground conditions at the mine site were dry. The current active pit area was inspected (see Photograph No. 1). At the time of the inspection coal was being loaded and hauled, drilling was underway in preparation for blasting, and a shovel was working loading haul trucks with overburden for transport to the east side of the pit. Dozers were active backfilling and grading on the east side of the active mining area. During this inspection we drove to the northern permit boundary of the existing mine site to look at the proposed northern expansion area. We drove around the perimeter of the proposed New Horizon North Mine. The expansion would be located between 26 Rd and 26 1/2 Rd as far north as Z Road. Photograph No. 2 shows the view south from the northeast corner of the proposed expansion and Photograph No. 3 shows the view south from the far northwest corner. Hydrologic Balance Sedimentation Ponds 011 and 013 were inspected. Pond 011 was full and discharging clear water. Most of the discharge from Pond 011 is the result of water being pumped from the pit. Pond 013 had a small amount of water in a few areas of the pond bottom as seen in Photograph No. 4. Inlets and discharge structures were functional and embankments at both pond locations were stable. We viewed a location between Tuttle Draw and Endstrom Draw up stream of the juncture of these two streams. We discussed the need for continued sampling at SW-N3 on the Wilcox property below the point that these streams join. Ross has agreed to continue monitoring this sample location at the same frequency that is currently approved in the monitoring plan even though the landowner(Wilcox) is now charging WFC a fee to access the site. Topsoil A significant amount of topsoil stripped from the prime farmland designated area on the Morgan property is stockpiled in four large piles. The piles are located on the Morgan property east of the active pit area. The topsoil is segregated into A-lift, B-lift, and two "mixed"piles. The B- Lift pile is shown in Photograph No. 5. Fish&Wildlife A flock of Canada Geese were on Pond 011. Photograph No. 6 shows several of the geese flying away as we approached the pond.