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NEC has placed an HDPE slurry line to pump coal fines from impoundments back into old mine <br />workings in the old explosives storage area. The line is in place and two injection sites are prepped, but <br />NEC is not yet pumping coal fines. <br />NEC would like to create a drying area for pond cleanings by the road above the sump on the west end of <br />the facilities area. Pond cleanings need to be dried out prior to placement on the waste piles. If material is <br />not dried it will not compact properly and would compromise the disposal area's stability. NEC will <br />submit plans for the drying area prior to construction. <br />Work continues on the refuse disposal area (RDA). Refuse material is transported to the top of the pile via <br />conveyor belt, then moved via dozer to the desired location and spread with a pusher or grader. Once the <br />material is graded it is compacted. NEC is nearing the capacity of the current RDA. When the face is <br />graded NEC will contact DRMS to verify slope angles prior to topsoil placement. NEC plans to submit an <br />application to extend the RDA into the eastern adjacent valley. <br />Signs and markers: The facilities area was established prior to the passage of SMCRA in 1977. As such, a <br />stream buffer zone of less than 100' has been grandfathered in to this permit area. Some stream buffer <br />zone markers were lying down near where they should stand (see photo 6523). Several were still intact. <br />NEC must maintain all stream buffer zone markers. Ms. Binns requested that the markers be replaced. <br />This was done prior to the end of our inspection. <br />With one exception, mine identification signs were in place and contained all information required under <br />Rule 4.02.2. MSHA recently requested that one identification sign be moved up from the highway <br />entrance to the RDA. Rule 4.02.2 requires an identification sign to be at each entrance to the permit area <br />from public roads. Therefore, Ms. Binns requested that NEC place an additional sign at the entrance from <br />the public road in order to satisfy our program requirements without interfering with MSHA's request. <br />NEC placed the additional sign before the end of our inspection. <br />Topsoil stockpile markers were in place. Disturbed area markers were missing around the RDA. Please <br />replace these markers. <br />Hydrology: The clean water diversion and disturbed area drainage channels will need maintenance after <br />construction activities are completed on the Development Waste Disposal Area (DWDA). NEC would <br />like to modify the clean water diversion system, but will need to submit those changes to DRMS for <br />review prior to construction. During DWDA construction, please ensure disturbed area runoff is not <br />allowed to intermingle with clean water. <br />DWDA #1 drains to Pond 4. Pond 4 was holding a small amount of water during the inspection but was <br />not discharging. The Purgatoire River has undercut the Pond 4 discharge structure. NEC will need to <br />rework the pond's primary discharge structure. NEC did cut willows from the emergency spillway. <br />Mine process water is settled in Pond 1 prior to being discharged to the Purgatoire River. The Division of <br />Water Resources wants to modify the outlet and discharge weir. The plan would reduce the outlet culvert <br />from 24" to 10 ". No surface runoff diversions discharge into this pond — the pond only receives produced <br />groundwater. Ms. Binns called her office to discuss the situation with her Senior, Dan Hernandez. Mr. <br />Hernandez does not believe this is a problem; however, he wanted to research and coordinate with other <br />agencies. Therefore Ms. Binns requested that NEC wait until tomorrow to implement this plan. <br />Pond 6, a total containment pond, was holding water at the time of inspection. Water is recycled from this <br />pond for use in the thickener. NEC needs an approved location to dry the dredged material in order to <br />