2012-06-29_INSPECTION - C1980007 (2)

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June 19, 2012 C -1980- 007 /West Elk Mine JRS RECLAMATION SUCCESS (cont.): - Drill pad 15 -05 was adjacent to and accessed off of the Long Draw Saddle Road approximately 500 feet north of drill pad 16 -05. The reclaimed pad was approximately 0.3 acres of disturbance and was reclaimed in 2007. The pad "straddled" the road, with one half of the pad on the east side of the road and one half of the pad on the west side of the road. The pad was very well vegetated and stable and no erosional features were noted. The dominant grass species included western wheatgrass and mountain brome. There was good shrub encroachment, including snowberry and wood's rose. There was some hound's tongue and Canada thistle observed on both the east and west parts of the pad and some cheatgrass (bromus tectorum) on the northern edge of the east pad. MCC will need to spray these weeds and monitor these locations in the future. Overall, the reclamation on drill pad 15 -05 was very good. - Drill pad 15 -05 was the last pad we inspected on 19 June 2012. The inspection on 20 June 2012 started at drill pad 24HG2E27XC, which was a drill pad for a thermal event in the West Bench area. - Drill pad 24HG2E27XC was adjacent to and accessed off of the Old Road. The reclaimed pad was approximately 0.7 acres of disturbance and was reclaimed in 2006. The pad was very well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted on the pad. There was good shrub encroachment along the edge of the pad, including serviceberry and wood's rose. The dominant grass species included western wheatgrass, mountain brome and fescue. There was also a fair amount of yarrow in the pad. There were no weeds observed on the reclaimed pad. Overall, the reclamation on drill pad 24HG2E27XC was very good. - The reclaimed West Flat Iron East Bench Road is a steep road that was well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. The reclaimed road was approximately 2.0 acres of disturbance and was reclaimed in 2006. The road is "divided" into two parts, with the upper portion of the road after drill pad 24 -05. There was a small amount of shrub encroachment on the lower portion of the road and good shrub encroachment on the upper portion of the road. Shrubs included oak brush and serviceberry. Dominant grasses included western wheatgrass and mountain brome. During reclamation trees (that were removed during road construction) were placed across the road to act as water bars. These trees have silted in somewhat behind them and have done a good job in controlling the erosion. Overall, the reclamation on the West Flat Iron East Bench Road was very good. - Drill pad 24 -05, 24 -05a and 24 -05b (all off the drill holes on one large pad) was accessed via the reclaimed West Flat Iron East Bench Road. The reclaimed pad was approximately 0.6 acres of disturbance and was reclaimed in 2006. The pad was very well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted on the pad. There was no real shrub encroachment on the pad. The dominant species included western wheatgrass and aster. There were no weeds observed on the reclaimed pad. Overall, the reclamation on drill pad 24 -05, 24 -05a and 24 -05b was very good. - Drill pad 23 -01, 23 -02, 23 -03a and 01 -23 -01 (all off the drill holes on one large pad) was accessed via the reclaimed West Flat Iron East Bench Road. The reclaimed pad was approximately 1.1 acres of disturbance and was reclaimed in 2006. The pad was very well vegetated and somewhat rocky (which was similar to the undisturbed areas along the ridge -top) and stable and no erosional problems were noted on the pad. There was no real shrub encroachment on the pad. The dominant species included western wheatgrass, mountain brome and lupine. There was some Canada thistle observed on the reclaimed pad. MCC will need to spray these weeds and monitor the site for future weed issues. Overall, the reclamation on drill pad 23 -01, 23 -02, 23 -03a and 01 -23 -01 was very good. Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 12 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 4 Page 5 of 31