_INSPECTION - C1981008 ‎(51)‎

• Permit No: C1981008
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 6/2/2010
• Email Name: MLT
• Email Name: SB1
• 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.
A Bond Release Inspection of the New Horizon Mine SL-12 Phase II and Phase III application was
conducted by Marcia Talvitie and Dan Mathews of the Colorado DRMS on Wednesday, 2 June
2010. Dan Mathews returned to the mine on Friday, the 4th of June. Ross Gubka represented the
operator,Western Fuels-Colorado (WFC),and was present throughout both inspection days.
The SL-12 Bond Release Inspection began at 10:30 a.m.at the New Horizon Mine office.
Landowners of the various parcels of land being considered for bond release were previously
notified of the inspection by the DRMS; none were in attendance. The application maps and
text were reviewed in the office, along with pertinent Annual Reclamation Reports.
With SL-12, WFC has requested Phase II release for approximately 26.8 acres of reclaimed
Irrigated Pasture (IP),and Phase III release for approximately 126.1 acres of IP and 23.8 acres of
Dryland Pasture (DP). Vegetation sampling to support the bond release application was
conducted on the Phase III request areas in 2007 and 2008, and on the Phase II request areas in
2008 only. The Division previously reviewed the SL-12 application for adequacy. Please refer to
the Division's 26 May 2010 letter to WFC for detailed review comments and requests for certain
clarifications and revisions regarding revegetation success demonstration comparisons and
statistical testing. eo
The inspection on 2 June 2010 included a walk-through of the IP reference area and each of the
various reclaimed parcels included in the release request. A number of soil depth
measurements using a sharpshooter shovel and hand auger were taken in the Phase II request
parcels. Observations made in the various areas observed are described below.
Phase III Irrigated Pasture Areas
The first parcel walked was Phase III Area 2,a 26.9 acre triangular shaped parcel located south
of 5th street (Photo 1), largely owned by Stoats,with a small portion owned by WFC. The parcel is
mixed meadow brome and alfalfa predominantly,with lesser components of meadow fescue,
alsike clover, orchard grass, and dandelion. One drainage swale through the field was
dominated by sedges and cattails. The field was relatively productive compared to other areas
observed, but growth was reduced this year compared to typical years because of later than
normal irrigation water availability,and weather factors. There were a few scattered patches of
Hoary Cress (white-top) weed in the north-central portion of the parcel that had been sprayed
earlier this year,and a scattering of live weeds were noted along the margins of the patches in
a couple locations. It is evident that control efforts have been applied,and the noxious
component of the stand is very minor.
The second irrigated parcel viewed (Photo 2) was Phase III Area 1, a 95 acre parcel. Roughly
the NE'/.is owned by Goforth, the SE '/,is owned by Benson, and the west '/2 is owned by San
Miguel Power(SMPA). The eastern portions of the property supported the some mix of species
as described for Area 2. In the western portions of the area, brome was more dominant,with
New Horizon Mine C-1981-008 02-and 04-Jun-2010
.1-