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-29- • • XVI. Coal Processing Waste and Non-Coal Processin Waste (cont'd) by a registered professional engineer. The applicant has requested authorization to undertake field trials for reclaiming the Roadside coal processing waste embankment (refuse pile), with the results used to formulate a revegetation plan for the Cameo coal processing waste embankment. One of the major objectives of the field trials will be to determine if less than four feet of non-toxic, non-combustible cover is adequate to meet revegetation success criteria and minimize disturbance to the hydrologic balance. The applicant has had discussions with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management toward establishing a revegetation research project on the existing Roadside refuse pile. Plans for the field trials are not yet finalized. From the chemical and physical analyses of the coal processing waste, it appears that the factor which would most limit plant growth is the coarse texture of the material. This coarse texture material has a low water holding capacity which would intensify the drouthy condition which already exists at the Roadside and Cameo mines. The chemical analyses indicated no factors which should limit plant growth. Therefore, some topsoil will be required but four feet may not be necessary. The Division approves of the field trials in concept. However, until a comprehensive plan is submitted, the Division cannot give final approval. In the meantime, the Roadside refuse pile will not undergo reclamation activities and the applicant will not be in compliance with contemporaneous reclamation regulations. Therefore, in order to find the proposed operation in compliance, the following stipulation is necessary: STIPULATION No. lI TXE PERMITTEE MUST SUBMIT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE FIELD TRIALS ON THE ROADSIDE COAL PROCESSING WASTE EMBANKMENT TO TXE DIVISION FOR APPROVAL BY JANUARY 1, 1983. IF TXE FIELD TRIALS DEMONSTRATE THAT REVEGETATION SUCCESS CRITERIA CANNOT BE MET BY LESS THAN FOUR FEET OF NON-TOXIC, NON- COMBUSTIBLE COVER AND/OR THAT DISTURBANCE TO THE HYDROLOGIC BALANCE IS NOT MINIMIZED WITH LESS THAN FOUR FEET OF COVER, THE PERMITTEE WILL BE REQUIRED TO PLACE FOUR FEET OF TXE BEST AVAILABLE NON-TOXIC, NON- COMBUSTIBLE COVER OVER TXE CAMEO AND ROADSIDE COAL PROCESSING WASTE IF THE PERMITTEE IS UNABLE TO SUBMIT A COMPLETE PLAN BY JANUARY I, 1983, THE PERMITTEE WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE PLACEMENT OF FOUR FEES OF TXE BEST AVAILABLE NON-TOXIC, NON-COMBUSTIBLE COVER BY SEPTEMBER I, 1983. The applicant has also submitted plans to backfill abandoned workings with coal processing waste. The waste will be crushed to the proper size at the preparation plant, then pumped as a slurry to the disposal site. Approximately 70~ of the mine void is expected to be filled in the backfilling process. Bulkheads constructed on the down-dip side of each backfilled section are equiped with piping to draw water out of the section. The water removed from each backfilled section is recycled. Water draining from a test project area was saline, but contained no toxic quantities of heavy metals.