2011-09-26_INSPECTION - C1996083 (2)

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September 21, 2011 C -1996 -083 /Bowi e No. 2 Mine JJD Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 2 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 1 Page 3 of 5 PROCESSING WASTE/COAL MINE WASTE PILES – Rule 4.10 and 4.11 Drainage Control; Surface Stabilization; Placement: The outslopes of the coal waste pile benches appeared to be stable and no erosional pr oblems were observed. ROADS – Rule 4.03 Construction 4.03.1(3)/4.03.2(3) Drainage 4.03.1(4)/4.03.2(4) Surfacing and Maintenance4.03.1(5) and (6)/4.03.2(5) and (6) Reclamation 4.03.1(7)/4.03.2(7): The paved entrance road was in good condition. The ro ad’s guard rail was in place. The dirt access road leading from the D -seam portal bench up to the utility bench was in good condition as well. The outside berm of the road had sufficient height. The operator is beginning to gravel the drill road so that th e new Terror Creek fan site can be constructed. The public road that leads up to the Hubbard Creek fan site was passable, as was the dirt road leading to coal waste stockpile no. 3. REVEGETATION – Rule 4.15 Vegetative Cover; Timing: Brock Bowles of the Division examined the revegetation on the main topsoil stockpile at the main mine and at the topsoil stockpile and general disturbed area at coal waste stockpile no. 3. At the main mine site, the north side of the main topsoil stockpile had a good stand o f perennial grasses, with an o c casional thistle plant. However, the south side of the topsoil stockpile had a lot of annuals mixed in with the perennials. There was a considerable amount of cheat grass with some dead white top plants, a small thistle patch and a little bind weed. The noxious weeds, especially the white top and cheat grass, need to be dealt with. No coal waste has been stockpiled at coal waste stockpile no. 3 yet since the operator is waiting for approval from the CDPHE to cross the highway with haul trucks. However, a portion of the site has had topsoil stockpiling and coal waste bench grading. There were perennial grasses on the north side of the topsoil stockpile but a lot of cheat grass mixed in with the perennial grasses on the south si de and top of the stockpile. In addition, jointed goat grass, a B list noxious weed, was seen on the top of the stockpile. Finally, thistle rosettes were observed on the west side of the stockpile. On the general disturbed area, no major problems were obse rved, except for some very scattered o c currences of cheat grass and thistle. The noxious weeds need to be dealt with at this site as well. SLIDES and DAMAGE - Rule 4.12: There were no indications of slope instability with any of the cut and fill slopes at the main mine. SUPPORT FACILITIES - Rule 4.04: The mine has been longwall mining in the B -10 panel in the west district. A longwall move is coming up so the operator has been stockpiling coal ahead of the move. There was a moderate volume of coal th at was being stockpiled on the D -seam portal bench and a fairly large volume of coal on the coal stockpile bench next to the highway. The coal handing structures were in operation during the inspection and no problems were observed. There were no leaks at the fuel barn. SIGNS AND MARKERS – Rule 4.02: The mine identification signs were up at the entrances to the mine sites’ entrances and along the roads where the mine permit boundary crosses the public roads. Surface disturbance markers were up around th e