ENFORCE29301 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

AOC is difficult .to assess within the context of these procedures shall be resolved through consultation with the regulatory authority and the appropriate Assistant Director foi Field Operations. c. P[oCedures. (1) Role of Permitting. Because backfilling and grading represents the largest single cost in reclamation and, once completed, is followed by topsoil replacement and revegetation, both the pernittee and the regulatory authority need a clear understanding of the final postmining topography prior to mining. The permittee needs this information so that. he may determine if mining is profitable and kn~~ that once topsoil replacement and revegetation proceeds, additional regrading will not be required. The regulatory authority needs to know in order that the appropriate bond can be set, contemporaneous reclamation standards can be enforced, and environmental disruption and topsoil loss associated with a second regrading can be avoided. Therefore, the anticipated postmining topography must be determined in the permitting process with typical cross section or contour naps depicting both the premining and anticipated postmining slopes with sufficient clarity and detail to enable a comparison to determine iE AOC has been achieved. where the postmining topography described in the approved permit lacks sufficient detail or does not closely resemble the general land configuration before mining, a pemit modification is CEquired in accordance with the State counterpart of 30.CFR 774.13. (2) Inspection Criteria. AOC is achieved through a reasonable, but not necessarily exact, rendering of the app[oved postmining topography. Inspectors shall determine whether AOC requirements have been met by applying the following three elements contained in the definition of AOC. (a) General surface configuration. The reclaimed area should closely resemble the general surface configuration of the land prior to Wining. 'this should not be interpreted, ho.+ever, as requiring that postmining contours exactly match the premising contours or that long uninterrupted premising slopes must result in the same. Rather, the general terrain should be comparable to the premised terrain; that is, if the area was basically level or gently rolling before Wining, it should retain these general features after mining. Rolls and dips need not be restored in their original locations and level zreas may be increased or terraces created in accordance with the Federal regulations at 30 CFR H16.102(g) or 817.102{g) through formation of shorter, steeper slopes, provided that those slopes are capable of supporting the postmining land use and blend with the surrounding terrain. -Z-