_INSPECTION - C1982057 ‎(77)‎

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• From: DRMS
• To: Seneca Coal Company
• Inspection Date: 7/6/2011
• Email Name: SLB
• Email Name: SB1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

July 6, 2011 C-1982-057/Seneca II-W Mine SLB
Inspection Topic Summary
NOTE: le=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V'=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable
N -Air Resource Protection N -Roads
N -Availability of Records N -Reclamation Success
N -Backfill&Grading N -Revegetation
NA -Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste NA - Subsidence
NA -Explosives R -Slides and Other Damage
N -Fish&Wildlife N -Support Facilities On-site
N -Hydrologic Balance N -Sins and Markers
N -Gen.. Compliance With Mine Plan NA - Support Facilities Not On-site
NA -Other NA - Special Categories Of Mining
NA -Processing Waste N -Topsoil
COMMENTS
This was a partial inspection of the Seneca II=W Mine conducted by Susan Burgmaier and Sandy Brown of
CDRMS. Also present during the inspection were Jill Carlson, from the Colorado Geological Survey(CGS),
assisting the Division; Roy Karo and Dennis Bugay of Seneca Coal Company; Anil Ray of Peabody Energy; and
Brian Len of Northwest Colorado Consultants, Inc(NWCC). Weather conditions at the site were warm, sunny,
and dry. The purpose of the inspection was to evaluate areas of instability that have occurred at the site this
spring, and discuss possible solutions that would ensure long term stability.
Numerous landslides have occurred throughout Routt County this year, likely the result of an unusually wet spring
on the heels of record snowfall in the area this past winter. Similarly,more than forty instability features have
been identified at the mine site this year.
Several of the areas of instability occurred in areas previously identified(CGS geologic hazard mapping of Routt
County by Allen Miller in approximately 1977)as hazardous; refer to the attached map. The permit area includes
areas identified as unstable,potentially unstable,mud flow,and debris flow;the Pond 016 drainage area is part of
a large area mapped as a mudflow.
SLIDES and DAMAGE -Rule 4.12:
The north area of the mine site,reclaimed Pits C and D, were inspected. There is a slide at the west end of
Pit D,on the north highwall side near Stock Tank T-20, approximately 1400' long. The scarp height varies from a
crack with no displacement to a maximum scarp height of approximately 20',and traverses both disturbed area
reclamation and undisturbed brushy areas. There are also several settling cracks along the southern highwall of
the C Pit near Stock Tank T-18. CGS and NWCC concluded that,to ensure long term stability and reduce the
likelihood of additional movement,no repairs or additional disturbance should be undertaken in these areas.
There are several settling cracks,two small slumps along the B pit highwall, and one slump in the lower B pit
along the oil well access road(RCR 53A). For the settling;cracks and smaller slumps in the B Pit highwall,CGS
and NWCC did not recommend repairs or additional disturbance. For the slump along the oil well access road, it
was recommended that the slide material be pushed back upslope,with installation of a toe drain and rock buttress
at the toe to keep the slide from encroaching on the county road, and reestablishment of the county road ditch
below the toe drains and buttress.
Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 3
Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 0
Page 2 of 6