_INSPECTION - C1982057 ‎(33)‎

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 10/14/2009
• Email Name: DTM
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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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.
immediately to the east of Pond 016A. The operator has not completed remediation of these
slides and the Pond 016/016A slide affected areas were properly not included in the SL-2 release
request. SCC's application requested release of approximately 763.3 acres of the North Area and
402.9 acres of the South Area.
In the spring of 2009, high intensity rainfall on top of recently reclaimed slopes that were still
saturated with snowmelt moisture resulted in extensive erosion within South Area watersheds
tributary to Sedimentation Ponds 016/016A and 017. Many of the reclaimed permanent channels
within the South Area watersheds were heavily damaged, necessitating extensive repairs,
reconstruction, and implementation of further erosion control measures to prevent recurrence.
Based on the extent of erosion damage and on-going remedial work in the South Area, the
Division and SCC reached agreement during the 2009 field season that it would be premature to
grant Phase I bond release for most portions of the South Area. However, SCC had completed
the SL-2 application and submitted required newspaper notice for publication prior to the intense
storm events. Rather than revise the application and re-publish the notification, the operator
agreed that they would accept a proposed decision by the Division to exclude the entire South
Extension (e.g. permitted lands within Sections 26, 27, 34, and 35; T5N R88W) from the area to
be approved within SL-2.
A brief overview meeting was held at the mine office on the morning of October 14, at the
beginning of the inspection. It was confirmed during the meeting that the operator understood
and did not object to the fact that the Division would exclude the South Extension from any
proposed SL-2 approval decision. Photos SL2-43, SL2-44, SL2-54, and SL2-55 attached to this
report depict some of the South Extension areas impacted by the intense runoff, as well as
recently completed and on-going remedial work. Remedial work has included gully regrading
and seeding, permanent channel reconstruction, and construction of erosion control surge
structures in series along primary drainages.
Based on the Division's determination and understanding with SCC regarding the South
Extension, the SL-2 field inspection was focused primarily on the original permit area(North
Area) for which SCC had requested Phase 1 bond release on approximately 763.3 acres of
reclaimed land. During the inspection, inspectors walked through large portions of the release
request area, to allow for visual assessment of compliance with pertinent requirements, including
backfilling and grading, channel and hillslope stability,blending of regraded land to undisturbed
areas, and drainage control. In the interest of efficiency, the inspectors split up and walked
separate routes, typically from the upper end to the lower end of a reclaimed drainage. Operator
representatives typically did not walk the entire distances,but dropped off and picked up the
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