_INSPECTION - C1981008 (37) - 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 by Marcia Talvitie of the Colorado DRMS beginning at 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, 17 February 2010. The inspection was conducted from points of public access around the permit area, without a representative of the operator, Western Fuels - Colorado. Skies were clear and temperatures were mild. Ross Gubka and Lance Wade were contacted at the WFC office,subsequent to the inspection. Current Permitting Actions PR-06: In response to the number of comments and objections received from landowners and the public, the Division scheduled an informal conference, to be held the 18th of February at the Fire Hall in Nucla. SL-12: The Division is in the process of reviewing the application for adequacy. It is anticipated that the bond release inspection will be scheduled for late April or early May. Availability of Records The designated location for public viewing of permit application materials is the Montrose County Annex in Nucla. Applications for PR-06 (with comment and objection letters received) and SL-12 were on-site, as were various documents from NOls and applications that have been previously approved. The seven-volume set of Permit binders was also on the shelf. In order to avoid potential confusion, we suggest that any documents not associated with current permitting actions be retrieved by WFC. Hydrologic Balance • Pond 009 contained a puddle of sediment-laden water at its western end. The water level was well below the discharge elevation. The source of sediment appeared to be snowmelt runoff from disturbed area on the east side of 2700 Road, which flowed through the culvert beneath the road and into the pond. • The water level in Pond 011 appeared to be somewhat higher than what was observed on the previous inspection. Backfill & Grading • The northern perimeter of the Benson-East parcel, adjacent to the remnant BB Road Detour, appears to have been disturbed during the process of reclaiming the Detour on the Richards parcel. The surface had been nicely regraded, and possibly reseeded. General Mine Plan Compliance • In the active pit, the drill rig was set up near the southern end of the current bench, and progressing southward from sections shot earlier. A semi-circular area of ground had been marked with survey lath, establishing the limits of mining near the Morgan house. • A bulldozer was working to push down overburden that had been previously shot. The shovel was working down inside the pit, loading trucks. Below the highwall, a front-end loader was loading coal into trucks for transport to the power plant. • A fence had been installed between the Benson-East and Richards parcels. Fish & Wildlife • A large flock of Canada geese was bathing and sunning on Pond 011. • There grazing impact by elk appears to be greater this year than it has during prior winters. Air Resource Protection • The water truck was in operation at the time of the inspection. New Horizon Mine C-1981-008 17-Feb-2010