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February 16,2011 C-1981-019/Colowyo Coal Mine JHB <br /> Inspection Topic Summary <br /> NOTE: Y=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable <br /> Y -Air Resource Protection R -Roads <br /> N -Availability of Records N -Reclamation Success <br /> R -Backfill&Grading R -Revegetation <br /> Y -Excess Spoil and Dev.Waste NA - Subsidence <br /> N -Explosives N -Slides and Other Damage <br /> R -Fish&Wildlife R - Support Facilities On-site <br /> R -Hydrologic Balance Y -Signs and Markers <br /> R -Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br /> NA -Other NA -Special Categories Of Mining <br /> NA -Processing Waste Y -Topsoil <br /> COMMENTS <br /> This was a partial inspection conducted by Janet Binns of CDRMS. The Colowyo Coal Mine is an active surface <br /> mine with open 3 pits; South Taylor Pit,West Pit,and East Pit. Winter conditions persist on the site with <br /> snowpack throughout the reclaimed and undisturbed areas. Weather was warm, above freezing,but extremely <br /> windy. <br /> ROADS: The mine access road to the office is paved. The mine access road was dry and free of snow. During <br /> the inspection roadsides were being graded to push snow further back from the lanes. Haul roads throughout the <br /> mine site have been plowed of snow. Snow was melting off the active areas and in most portions of the roadways, <br /> running off and not pooling. The operator has provided cuts in the berms within the active mining areas when <br /> runoff begins to pool on the roads. Due to the high winds some of the haul roads were getting dusty. Two water <br /> trucks were watering the Haul roads during the inspection;265 and 432. <br /> The dragline will be walked along the haul road to the south once contours are achieved in the west pit parcel. <br /> This roadway has been shaped to accommodate the dragline,but Tony noticed some cracking in the surface of the <br /> road. CCC will investigate this cracking and assure walk road stability. <br /> FISH and WILDLIFE—Rule 4.18: A small herd of elk were observed on the east side of the West Pit Fill. <br /> HYDROLOGIC BALANCE -Rule 4.05 <br /> Not all the ponds were accessed. Ponds are frozen and only Streeter Pond, Stoker Pond, and Gossard Ponds were <br /> discharging when the operator checked on 2/14. Ditches throughout the mine site are snow covered and could not <br /> be observed. <br /> CCC has submitted a new revision TR89 to the Division to retain a number of stockponds as permanent features in <br /> reclaimed areas. <br /> BACKFILL AND GRADING,TOPSOIL, and REVEGETATION: The operator continues to backfill the West pit <br /> in the northern portion of Section 9 with the 102 dragline. This backfilling is progressing but not at final <br /> configuration yet. Some of the regraded parcels in this area were graded and topsoiled in 2010. A portion of these <br /> 2010 parcels were not seeded with the permanent seed mix in the Fall. CCC plans on seeding these parcels during <br />