2012-06-29_INSPECTION - C1980007 (2)

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June 19, 2012 C -1980- 007 /West Elk Mine JRS RECLAMATION SUCCESS (cont.): - The drill hole I pad at the thermal event area was accessed via a short road spur off of the Jumbo Mountain Road. The pad and road spur were approximately 0.3 acres of disturbance and were reclaimed in 2000. The reclaimed road was well vegetated and stable. There were some mountain shrubs volunteering in along the edges of the road, including oak brush and serviceberry. Dominant grass species included blue bunch wheatgrass, fescue and mountain brome. The reclaimed drill pad was very well vegetated and stable. Dominant grass species also included blue bunch wheatgrass and mountain brome on half of the pad and great basin wild rye on the other half of the pad (probably where the topsoil was stockpiled). Shrubs, including serviceberry and oak brush, were volunteering on the entire pad. There were no weeds noted on either the road spur or the pad. There was no erosion noted on either the road or the pad. Overall, the reclamation on the road spur and drill pad B was very good. - The drill hole 2.5/44 pad at the thermal event area was accessed via a road spur off of the Jumbo Mountain Road. The pad and road spur were part of the main thermal event area, which encompassed approximately 14.0 acres of disturbance and were reclaimed in 2000. This road spur and pad were the southern-most portions of the thermal event area and were, topographically, the highest points. The reclaimed road was well vegetated and stable. The upper portion of the road, closest to the drill pad, was completely covered with mountain shrubs. The start of the road was almost covered with mountain shrubs. The reclaimed drill pad was very well vegetated and stable. Dominant grass species also included slender wheatgrass and mountain brome. Shrubs, including wood's rose, serviceberry and oak brush, were volunteering on the entire pad. There were no weeds noted on either the road spur or the pad. There was no erosion noted on either the road or the pad. Overall, the reclamation on the road spur and drill pad 2.5/44 was very good. - The remaining thermal event area was also inspected. It was divided into what appeared to be three discreet areas, with swathes of undisturbed tall mountain shrub communities dividing the areas. I have called these areas the upper, middle and lower areas, based on their relative topographic positions. The entire area, including the drill hole 2.5/44 pad described above, encompassed 14.0 acres of disturbance and was reclaimed in 2000. The entire thermal event area was well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. While the area was well vegetated, the middle and lower areas have already been grazed this year and they have probably been over grazed. There were mountain shrubs encroaching into the reclamation at all of the areas, especially at the interfaces with the undisturbed. Shrub species included oak brush, wood's rose and snowberry. The dominant grass species included mountain brome, western wheatgrass, thickspike wheatgrass, slender wheatgrass and fescue. There were scattered Canada thistle, musk thistle and hound's tongue around the site, with a larger (approximately' /4 acre) patch of Canada thistle by the gate to the lower reclamation area. MCC will need to spray this entire area for weeds and continue to monitor and spray the areas in future years. Overall, the reclamation on the entire thermal event area is very good. - The lower Lone Pine area was reclaimed in 2002 and encompassed an area of approximately 2.0 acres. This area includes the substation and power line corridor. The area was very dry but was well vegetated and stable. The majority of the reclaimed area is grassland, with mountain brome, fescue and western wheatgrass being the dominant species. The upper portion of the power line corridor, however, has completely filled in with oak brush. No erosional problems were noted on the reclaimed areas. Overall, the reclamation on the lower Lone Pine area is very good. Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 12 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 4 Page 7 of 31