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\ ~ t` .' \. ~ • Y • III III III III IIII III 999 REGION V ON-SITE INSPECTION REPORT ENERGY FUELS CORPORATION ENERGY 111 MINE P.O. Box G Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80477 DATE: March 6, 1980 TIME: 9:30 a.m. - 12 m. WEATHER: Heavy snow cover, snowmelt COUNTY 6 STATE: Routt County, Colorado COMPANY OFFICIAL: E. Richard (Rick) Brown, Manager of Engineering STATE OFFICIAL: None OSht OFFICIAL: Dennis Winterringer NOV NUh1BER: None STATE PERMIT N0: 76-16 GENERAL CO[~41ENTS On February 14, 1980, Donald A. Crane, Regional Director for OSM, approved an emergency minor modification plan which was hand delivered to OSM by Energy Fuels Corporation (EFC) on February 8, 1980. The minor modification plan, and OSM approval letter, are attached for reference. The plan addresses topsoil removal and sediment dam construction on 95 acres of land adjacent to the Energy lil Mine plan area. The special inspection of the minor plan area con- • ducted on the above date was made at the request of the Regional Director. The disturbances approved in the minor modification were originally included within a proposed major modification submitted to OSM on September 17, 1979. The company apparently made the minor modification submission when [he OSM review of the major modification plan took longer than company personnel had anticipated. The series of events, as I understand them, surrounding [Vie elk migration corridor are as follows: Federal lease C-081330 required that a 200 yard wide buffer zone be left intact on the ridge overlooking Middle Creek Canyon. Sub- sequently, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) apparently required the corridor be mined, and the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) on September 9, 1977, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on September 23, 1977, indicated they had no objections to that action. In January 1979, the CD OW and USFWS consulted with Energy Fuels [o determine how the elk migration corridor should he reclaimed. The plan which emerged included rough grading and tree and shrub transplanting. The corridor was mined in the summer of 1979. In the minor modification proposal EFC stated: "Disruption of this program (wildlife habitat enhancement) due to lack of suitable trees, shrubs, and topsoil for transplanting, weld result in a significant reduction and delay in the amount and extent of reclamation suitable for the valuable wildlife species in the area." According to Keith Kirk, OSM Technical Analysis and Research employee who is [racking the progress of the mine plan review, the plan was reviewed and approved by OSM, Region V and was sent to OSM headquarters in . Washington, D. C. for final review. That final approval should be forthcoming