2010-05-20_INSPECTION - M1974069

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(Page 2) MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: M-1974-069 INSPECTION DATE: 5/18/2010 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: ECS OBSERVATIONS This was an acreage release inspection for an operational 112c sand and gravel operation conducted by Eric Scott of DRMS for the Larimer Pit site operated by Loveland Ready Mix. DRMS met with permittee representative Stephanie Fancher at the Loveland Ready Mix Larimer Pit batch plant office at approximately 0915 and toured the site with her. The Mariana Butte Pit (M1988-033) and Baer Pit (M1984-113) were also inspected for final site releases during this visit. The Larimer Pit site has been permitted and operational since 1974. As such, some of the reclaimed areas visited during this partial release inspection have been mined out and reclaimed for quite some time. On January 8, 2010 the final augmentation plan for the Larimer Pit site was approved by the Colorado State District Court, Water Division 1 by Decree OOCW142. This fulfills the reclamation requirements for exposed water for this entire site. The permit area to be released east of Wilson Ave has been out of production for approximately 20 years, and has since been redeveloped as a residential property north of the Big Thompson River, and a City of Loveland Waste Recycling Center on the south side of the river. The permit area to be released west of Namaqua Drive has been reclaimed as both open water and lined water storage ponds surrounded by vegetated open space. The lined water storage areas have both met the SEO performance standard for lined ponds (SEO letters for Pond #1 on Aug 24, 2000, and Pond #2 on May 5 2006). Vegetation surrounding the western-most two unlined ponds (12 and 15) has been established for quite some time and is in excellent condition. The vegetation surrounding the lined ponds, although considerably newer, is also establishing very well and is acceptable for release at this time. All of the areas proposed for release meet release criteria at this time and will be removed from the permitted area. It was also proposed during a tour of the site that the unaffected fenced residential property located west of Namaqua Drive and between Cells 8 and 9, be released from the currently permitted area if mining is no longer intended in that area. The operator will need to submit a release request with a revised permit boundary map and acreage total in the next 30 days for this inspection to serve as the release inspection for this additional residential property. If DRMS receives this request within the next 30 days, the appropriate release notices will be sent out, and the unaffected residential property released if there are no objections received. When all acreage releases are completed, the bond for the remaining permitted area of the Larimer Pit will be recalculated according to the approved reclamation plan for the remainder of the site. This should result in a lower total bond for the site as the final water augmentation plan for the site has been approved in Water Court, and the pre-existing batch plant will be allowed to remain after mining is completed as a valid non-conforming land use. Remaining reclamation work will consist primarily of earthwork, sloping of remaining shorelines, revegetation, and weed control. DRMS would like to commend Loveland Ready Mix on an excellent job of concurrent site reclamation. Two general inspection issues were noted during the tour of the site that will need attention. The first is that the southern border of the affected area will need to be clearly marked - there are no permit markers currently present along this border. The second is that weed control measures will need to be taken to prevent the further establishment of cheatgrass in previously disturbed areas such as the Cell 9 area. The site cannot be approved for final release if excessive noxious weeds such as cheatgrass are present, and as you are aware, once cheatgrass is widespread it is exceptionally difficult to eradicate.