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May 26, 2011 C- 1981 - 041 /Roadside Portals MPB <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y= Inspected N =Not Inspected R= Comments Noted V= Violation Issued NA =Not Applicable <br />• -Air Resource Protection <br />• -Availability of Records <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />NA - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />NA - Explosives <br />N - Fish & Wildlife <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />Y - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />R - Other <br />Y - Processing Waste <br />INTRODUCTION: <br />Y -Roads <br />Y - Reclamation Success <br />Y - Revegetation <br />N -Subsidence <br />NA - Slides and Other Damage <br />N - Support Facilities On -site <br />N -Signs and Markers <br />NA - Support Facilities Not On -site <br />NA - Special Categories Of Mining <br />N - Topsoil <br />COMMENTS <br />This was a partial inspection of the Roadside Portals Mine conducted on May 26, 2011 by Mike Boulay of the <br />Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety Grand Junction Field Office. There was no operator representative <br />present during the inspection. Weather conditions were sunny and wane. Ground conditions were mostly dry, <br />however there was some standing water in a few low -lying areas due to significant precipitation over the past few <br />days prior to the inspection. The Colorado River was running very high due to snowmelt runoff. Coal Creek was <br />dry. <br />HYDROLOGIC BALANCE -Rule 4.05 <br />Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, 4.05.6, Discharge Structures 4.05.7, <br />4.05.10; Diversions 4.05.4, Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring <br />4.05.13; Drainage —Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; Impoundments 4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: <br />Sedimentation Ponds including 7, 8, and 9 were inspected. Ponds 7 and 9 were dry. Pond 8 had a small amount of <br />water in it from the recent rain. Pond 8 also receives a small amount of discharge from the North Collection Ditch <br />at the South Portals area which originates from the South Portals French Drain. Pond embankments, inlets and <br />discharge strictures were all stable and no problems were noted at any of the sediment pond locations. <br />The focus of this partial inspection was to look at the watershed areas and more importantly the reclaimed areas <br />that contribute flow to Pond 7 at the North Decline and Ponds 8 and 9 at the South Portals Area, respectively. <br />Snowcap Coal Company, Inc. (SCC) submitted Technical Revision No. 61 in March, 2011 with the goal of <br />removing these ponds as part of the final reclamation for these disturbed areas. With TR -61 SCC provides <br />demonstrations that these drainage control features are no longer necessary. (SCC) has demonstrated that the <br />untreated drainage from the South Portal (Roadside Refuse Disposal and Borrow Areas) and from the North <br />Decline disturbed areas will contribute fewer suspended solids to streamflow or runoff outside the permit area than <br />untreated drainage from the natural surrounding premining area. This was accomplished by a soils loss <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 8 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br />Page 2 of 6 <br />