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PERMIT #: M-1994-113 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: RCO <br />INSPECTION DATE: November 3, 2010 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was a routine inspection performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of Construction Materials 112c permits. <br />The operator was notified but could not be present for the scheduled inspection. The site was not active and there was no <br />mine personnel at the site during the inspection. The gate below the firehouse along the entrance road was locked and <br />access to the site waas gained on foot. <br />(BG) Backfilling and Grading: <br />Narrative: The hill in the center of the site that is being mined has a steep highwall feature on its western end. This <br />highwall is the result of removing the material below it to widen the access road but has resulted in a highwall that <br />continues to ravel over time. The operator has not performed any backfilling to buttress the slope, or reduced the slope <br />from above to stabilize it. The other slopes that have been affected by mining (on south face of hill) have been graded to <br />gentler stable slopes. This steep feature is not noted as a problem in this report, but it is noted as an item that the operator <br />should attend to. Though the rocks that slough down the hill do not affect offsite areas and only impede onsite traffic, <br />leaving the highwall this steep may allow the topsoil above the hill to become degraded, and as long as the highwall is <br />steep the highwall reduction task remains a reclamation cost item in the bond. <br />There is an area of fill that has been placed adjacent to the wetland area, measuring approx 60'x80'x1.5' deep, with a <br />rough surface, on top of the existing gravel surface. Is this to be smoothed graded, added to in the future, or removed? At <br />present this office considers this to be a temporary feature. <br />(FN) Financial Warranty: <br />Narrative: The bond is $43,488. The bond has not been recalculated in several years, and is due to be reviewed. The new <br />figures will be sent to the operator under separate cover. If an increase is indicated, the operator will have 60 days to <br />submit the increased amount. <br />Please note that the bond recalculation will include highwall slope reduction and noxious weed control. <br />(RD) Roads: <br />Narrative: There are roads entering the site from the north and south, and which extends through the site. Portions of the <br />road are underlain by the penstock, which is owned by Excel Energy, and those portions have been barricaded and/or <br />posted to prevent haul traffic on them. <br />(RS) Reclamation Success: <br />Narrative: There has been only limited reclamation performed at the site. Specifically it has been limited to creation of <br />the wetlands on the northern end of the site, and the earthwork for the berm along the southern permit boundary. <br />(RV) Revegetation: <br />Narrative: The site contains several acres that are not affected yet, and which contain the native vegetation. Areas on the <br />south face of the hill being mined that have been stripped have aspen and grasses growing on them, even though they have <br />not been retopsoiled or seeded. The new wetlands in the northern area (approved under TR-4) was planted with willows, <br />and some of them are still alive. The visual berm (approved under TR-5) was planted with grasses and forbs, but much of <br />the berms are now weedy (see problem discussed on page one and under the "topsoil" topic). <br />(SC) Sediment Control: <br />Narrative: The site is bermed and there is a sediment pond, to contain all runoff and sediment. <br />(SF) Support Facilities On-site: <br />Narrative: There was no mining related equipment or structures onsite. <br />(SM) Signs and Markers: <br />Narrative: The required permit ID sign was posted and several of the permit boundary markers were observed. The <br />marker locations correlated to the boundary depicted on the permit maps. The operator must ensure that the boundary is <br />Page 2 of 3