2011-06-28_INSPECTION - C2009087

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Sage Creek Mine Partial Oversight Inspection Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) Permit ID #C- 2009 -087 Monday, May 23, 2:30 -4:30 Operator: Sage Creek Coal Company, LLC Participants: Jason Musick, DRMS Elizabeth Shaeffer, OSM, Badge # 377 Howard Strand, OSM Bobbi Martinez, OSM Jay James, Peabody Energy Weather conditions: upper 50's, partly cloudy, windy This was a partial oversight inspection of the Sage Creek mine site conducted jointly by Jason Musick of the DRMS Denver Office and Elizabeth Shaeffer of OSM's Denver Field Division. Jay James (representing Peabody Energy, LLC), Howard Strand (OSM), and Bobbi Martinez (OSM) joined us for the inspection. This site is currently active but not producing coal yet. There was minimal activity at the mine site during our inspection. We stopped at the mine office, took the required mine safety training, and received our official Visitor Identification badges. We began our inspection by visiting an area of Haul Road A where the operator was windrowing topsoil on the east side of the road in an effort to increase the road width to 50 feet and construct a ditch (see Photos 1 and 2). Windrowing is the process of building up the topsoil material on the edge of the newly graded road. At the time of inspection, approximately 100 yards of the road had already been windrowed. The road served as a good vantage point, and Mr. James and Mr. Musick gave an overview of the site and where the portals were going to be located. Below us we could see sedimentation Pond 002, which is very long and narrow (see Photos 3 and 4). The pond was discharging at the time of inspection; there is a NPDES discharge point at the north end of Pond 002. We then went to the area where the new portals will be constructed. The mine plans to build three portals for the first five -year permit. From this area we could clearly see all rock lined drainages that report through a series of 4 sumps and onto Pond 002 (see Photo 5). There was water flowing through the drainages and they appeared to be functioning properly. PECOCO Pond was inspected. Water was discharging and the discharge outlet was clear of debris (see Photo 6). The embankments appeared stable and well vegetated, and marmots were seen along the banks. We observed the proposed topsoil stockpile location, located southwest of PECOCO Pond. The location was delineated with yellow flagging (see Photo 7). The topsoil stockpile will have a 2.5 to 1 slope. At this site there is a protected creek (Little Grassy Creek) and wetlands area. Stream Buffer Zone and Disturbed Area markers were appropriately placed at the site. The roads were stable throughout the site.