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OBSERVATIONS <br />PERMIT #: M- 2001 -060 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: DMC <br />INSPECTION DATE: July 25, 2011 <br />This inspection was conducted on July 25, 2011 by the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) <br />in response to a complaint received via telephone from a concerned citizen (complainant) on July 21, 2011. <br />Steve Baker, representing the Operator, was present during this inspection. Photographs are included at the <br />end of this report in order to illustrate some of the conditions observed during this inspection. <br />The Deakins Pit is located on the east side of Craig and accessed from East First Street. The site is a 112c <br />operation that includes a total of 57.5 permitted acres. The Division currently holds a financial warranty <br />amount of $40,600.00 for this site. The Division will review the reclamation costs for this site in order to <br />ensure the financial warranty reflects the actual current cost of fulfilling the requirements of the Reclamation <br />Plan. The Operator will be notified if the Division determines that the current financial warranty amount is <br />insufficient. <br />Adequate mine identification signage was noted at the entrance to the site in accordance with Rule 3.1.12(1). <br />The affected area was marked by fencing that was clearly visible and adequate to delineate the affected area <br />boundary. <br />The stockpiled material just north of the scale house was heavily infested with Kochia and lesser amounts of <br />Prickly lettuce. More minor infestations of these weeds were noted around the property as well. Though these <br />are not considered noxious, the Operator should implement weed control methods that will help prevent offsite <br />migration of the weeds. <br />A diesel tank for the dewatering pump, lacking any secondary containment, was located on the west side of the <br />north pond. <br />The complainant claimed that the Operator has imported coal waste to the site for use as backfill material, and <br />felt that this practice has contaminated the water in his well. The complainant stated that the once potable water <br />now has an oily film and unpalatable taste. <br />On January 8, 2009 the Division approved the importation of inert fill material from Twentymile coal mine that <br />was to consist of road base, calcium carbonate, and no more than five percent coal fines. Stockpiles of imported <br />material were noted on the north and east sides of the pit. The imported material observed during this <br />inspection did not appear consistent with the imported fill Notice submitted by the Operator. The imported <br />material observed onsite appeared to consist almost entirely of coal, with clasts ranging in size from <br />approximately one foot in diameter to dust size particles. During the inspection the Operator stated that prior to <br />using the material for backfill, clasts larger than 1.5 inches are removed by screening and that the remaining <br />material is blended with dirt in order to reduce the coal component to less than five percent. The unscreened <br />stockpile was located on the north side of the pit. The screened and blended material was located on the east <br />side of the pit. It was unclear to this inspector just how the Operator determined that the coal component of the <br />Page 3 of 4 <br />