§780.21. Hydrologic information. — Inbound Citations

(a) Each application shall contain a plan for reclamation of the lands within the proposed permit area, showing how the applicant will comply with section 515 of the Act, subchapter K of this chapter, and the environmental protection performance standards of the regulatory program. The plan shall include, at a minimum, all information required under 30 CFR 780.18 through 780.37.

(5) Has the capability of collecting necessary field samples and making hydrologic field measurements and analytical laboratory determinations by acceptable hydrologic, geologic, or analytical methods in accordance with the requirements of §§ 780.21, 780.22, 784.14 and 784.22 and any other applicable provisions of this chapter. Other appropriate methods or guidelines for data acquisition may be approved by the program administrator.

(h) Any person who conducts surface mining activities shall replace the water supply of an owner of interest in real property who obtains all or part of his or her supply of water for domestic, agricultural, industrial, or other legitimate use from an underground or surface source, where the water supply has been adversely impacted by contamination, diminution, or interruption proximately resulting from the surface mining activities. Baseline hydrologic information required in §§ 780.21 and 780.22 of this chapter shall be used to determine the extent of the impact of mining upon ground water and surface water.

(j) The permittee must promptly replace any drinking, domestic or residential water supply that is contaminated, diminished or interrupted by underground mining activities conducted after October 24, 1992, if the affected well or spring was in existence before the date the regulatory authority received the permit application for the activities causing the loss, contamination or interruption. The baseline hydrologic information required in §§ 780.21 and 784.14 of this chapter and the geologic information concerning baseline hydrologic conditions required in §§ 780.21 and 784.22 of this chapter will be used to determine the impact of mining activities upon the water supply.

(1) The determination of the probable hydrologic consequences of the surface mining and reclamation operation in the proposed permit area and adjacent areas, including the engineering analyses and designs necessary for the determination in accordance with §§ 780.21(f), 784.14(e), and any other applicable provisions of this chapter;

(4) Will cause a new or updated probable hydrologic consequences determination or cumulative hydrologic impact analysis to be required under 30 CFR 780.21(f)(4) or 780.21(g)(2) as a result of an increase in impacts;

(4) Will cause a new or updated probable hydrologic consequences determination or cumulative hydrologic impact analysis to be required under 30 CFR 780.21(f)(4) or 780.21(g)(2) as a result of an increase in impacts;

(b) In order to protect the hydrologic balance, surface mining activities shall be conducted according to the plan approved under § 780.21(h) of this chapter and the following:

(1) Ground-water quality shall be protected by handling earth materials and runoff in a manner that minimizes acidic, toxic, or other harmful infiltration to ground-water systems and by managing excavations and other disturbances to prevent or control the discharge of pollutants into the ground water.

(2) Ground-water quantity shall be protected by handling earth materials and runoff in a manner that will restore the approximate premining recharge capacity of the reclaimed area as a whole, excluding coal mine waste disposal areas and fills, so as to allow the movement of water to the ground-water system.

(1) Ground-water monitoring shall be conducted according to the ground-water monitoring plan approved under § 780.21(i) of this chapter. The regulatory authority may require additional monitoring when necessary.

(1) Surface-water monitoring shall be conducted according to the surface-water monitoring plan approved under § 780.21(j) of this chapter. The regulatory authority may require additional monitoring when necessary.