Surface coal mine permit application for successful reclamation,semi-arid shortgrass prairie (Wyoming, USA)
Approximately 40% of U.S.coal originates in an ecologically sensitive area of semi-arid shortgrass prairie in Wyoming.Before a surface coal mine can begin operation in the U.S., it must secure a mining permit and comply with regulations and performance standards under the U.S.Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), other federal environmental acts, and state programs.The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ)/Land Quality Division (LQD) administers Wyomings coal regulatory program.Examples of Wyomings regulations and environmental protection performance are presented.The permit application and bonding process for the largest surface coal mine permit in the U.S., North Antelope Rochelle Mine (NARM) located in short grassland prairie in the northeast Wyoming, is discussed.The permit application process begins with the collection of baseline environmental data that characterizes premining conditions of the permit area.The permit application includes adjudication information, baseline information, mine and operation plans, and reclamation plans.Fulfillment of permit commitments and requirements of rules and regulations are inspected monthly by the LQDs representative in the field.Before a mine permit is issued, the mine operator must submit a reclamation bond to secure the performance of reclamation obligations that is later revised annually.In Wyoming, four reclamation bond release phases (Area Bond, Phase 1, 2, and 3) indicate the completion of various stages of the reclamation process.NARMs specific bond release verification criteria,performance standards, and field verifications of bond release phases are discussed.The Bond Release Geodatabase (a GIS/GPS approach) was developed for this mine to monitor progress in meeting criteria and performance standards for incremental bond release.The Bond Release Geodatabase significantly reduces the time needed to track bond release progress, reach agreement between operator and regulator,and improve the state inspectors ability to assess reclamation adequacy and progress.
A.Krzyszowska Waitkus
Environmental Consulting, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
国际会议
The 2nd International Symposium on Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration (第二届国际土地复垦与生态修复学术研讨会)
西安
英文
3-12
2017-10-20（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）