Laserfiche WebLink
PERMIT #: M-1994-096 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: ECS <br />INSPECTION DATE: August 16, 2010 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was an monitoring/surety inspection conducted for a 112c sand and gravel operation conducted by Eric Scott of <br />DRMS for the Russel Pit site operated by High Plains Sand and Gravel. DRMS met with permittee representative Robert <br />Pittington Jr. at the site at approximately 10:00 and observed the current condition of the site with him. The main site <br />entrance is accessable from a frontage road located north of Exit 281 off of I-25 approximately 20 miles south of <br />Cheyenne WY. The main gate to the site has been locked (property going into bank forclosure), however there is also a <br />back entrance to the site from a county road along the east edge of the site area that was used for vehicle access to the <br />property. <br />The last DRMS monitoring inspection for this site occurred in 2004. Bond for this site was set at $33,900 and posted via <br />a letter of credit held by Norbel Credit Union. Norbel has cancelled the letter of credit and refused to honor the sight draft <br />for this letter of credit. The operator has not posted any replacement bond for the site and claims to be unable to do so. <br />At this time, there is no valid reclamation bond posted for this site. On July 16, 2010 an RTB letter was sent to the <br />operator for failure to maintain a financial warranty in good standing for the life of the permit, and failure to comply with <br />the required performance warranty as required by the Act. <br />The purpose of this inspection was to evalute the current condition of the site with regard to the existing site disturbance <br />in the event that the permit is revoked. The operator, Mr. Pittington, has stated on several occasions that although he <br />cannot post sufficient bond for the site to continue operation, it is his intent to reclaim the site to the extent possible before <br />the permit is revoked. At the time of this inspection much work remains to be done. The majority of the permeter of the <br />excavated area still consists of vertical or very steep excavation walls that need to be re-sloped to 3:1 or flatter, large <br />material stockpiles in the pit need to be leveled, and the equipment in the pit area needs to be removed. There are also <br />two large stockpiles of overburden and topsoil staged at the east end of the permit that need to be replaced during <br />reclamation. There is a scale still present on the north side of the permit area that needs to be removed, and the disturbed <br />areas will need to be re-soiled and re-seeded. <br />There was an area on the east end of the pit that had been adequately re-sloped (Photo 1) and there appears to be sufficient <br />material (overburden and topsoil) on-site to complete reclamation of the disturbed areas. DRMS would like to encourage <br />Mr. Pittington at this time to complete the re-sloping and re-topsoiling of the excavated area as soon as possible and prior <br />to the September 15, 2010 MLRB enforcement hearing for this site. If notified by Mr. Pittington, DRMS will conduct a <br />follow-up inspection to document any additional reclamation completed prior to the MLRB hearing. <br />Inspection Contact Address <br />Robert Pittington Jr. <br />High Plains Sand and Gravel, LLC <br />P.O. Box 1228 <br />Wellington, CO 80549 <br />Page 2 of 6