Photos taken near the entrance to the Seven Devils Mine site document the continued failure on the part of chromite strip miners, Oregon Resources, to implement best management practices to prevent sediment track out from its mining operation onto West Beaver Hill Road. On December 9 DOGAMI issued a Notice of Violation and Compliance Schedule to ORC for violating conditions of a January 2009 haul road permit.
ORC has failed to prevent the accumulation and transfer of sediment to West Beaver Hill Road. DOGAMI has also determined that the BMP’s (straw waddles and recently installed silt fence) are not adequate to contain turbid storm water runoff that is generated during the washing of the road. The Haul Road Plan references the Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESCP: Attachment D: of the JPA) and Section 5.2.2 of that plan states that ORC’s Erosion Control Inspector (ECI) will conduct daily inspections and maintenance of BMPs in order to prevent pollution from leaving the site.
Additionally, DOGAMI has documentation that ORC is washing portions of the gravel road, presumably to prevent sediment and mud from being tracked out of the site. The washing of the gravel road with water is not an approved BMP. DOGAMI has concerns that washing mud off of the gravel road creates significant volumes of turbid runoff, increasing the likelihood that turbid storm water runoff will discharge to adjacent wetlands and/or other waters of the state.
ORC was previously informed of concerns related to track out in a February 22, 2011 warning letter issued by DOGAMI, documenting violations of Schedule A.7 v) of the DEQ NPDES General 1200-A permit (DEQ File #119430).
Sometimes large rocks fall off the trucks as they exit the mine.
The resultant turbidity and sediment runs into adjacent wetlands.
ORC has until January 9, 2012 to bring site into compliance and to correct the violations and may apply for an extension of time however an extension will only be granted “…if it is determined that there has been reasonable effort and progress toward meeting the schedule outlined”.
The picture below was taken today.
Map of State wetlands adjacent to the site.
ORC continues the FU to the taxpayers of Coos County, and the entire state.
And they’re on welfare, not even paying “rent” and still they whine like red faced babies with a potty diaper.
How many violations are they allowed anyway? Any point where the county or the state says: “you don’t want to abide by the laws, you’re out of here”?
Remember, they’re sheeting in our water, and not even paying for the pleasure. What absolute trash, then they criticize those who speak up.
Amazing isn’t it? How that class of Welfare Kings cruise around the county pretending as though they have some “right” to sheet and spoil the waters of Coos County.
More enforcement is definitely needed with these clowns. They can’t even comply with minimal constraints, all they can do is whine, whine, whine.
Piggish behavior for any company.
All the while, whining that “there are too many regulations.”