Title 30—Mineral Resources--Volume 1
PART 779—SURFACE MINING PERMIT APPLICATIONS—MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR INFORMATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
§ 779.1   Scope.
This part establishes the minimum requirements for the Secretary's approval of regulatory program provisions for the environmental resources contents of applications for surface mining activities.
§ 779.2   Objectives.
The objectives of this part are to ensure that each application provides to the regulatory authority a complete and accurate description of the environmental resources that may be impacted or affected by proposed surface mining activities.
§ 779.4   Responsibilities.
(a) It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide, except where specifically exempted in this part, all information required by this part in the application.
(b) It is the responsibility of State and Federal government agencies to provide information for applications as specifically required by this part.
§ 779.10   Information collection.
The information collection requirements contained in 30 CFR 779.11, 779.12, 779.13, 779.14, 779.15, 779.16, 779.17, 779.18, 779.19, 779.21, 779.22, 779.24, 779.25 and 779.27 have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3507 and assigned clearance number 1029-0035. The information is being collected to meet the requirements of sections 507 and 508 of Pub. L. 95-87, which require the applicant to present an adequate description of the existing pre-mining environmental resources within and around the proposed mine plan area. This information will be used by the regulatory authority to determine whether the applicant can comply with the performance standards of the regulations for surface coal mining and whether reclamation of these areas is feasible. The obligation to respond is mandatory.

[47 FR 33686, Aug. 4, 1982, as amended at 52 FR 47359, Dec. 11, 1987; 81 FR 93327, Dec. 20, 2016; 82 FR 54948, Nov. 17, 2017]
§ 779.11   General requirements.
Each permit application shall include a description of the existing, premining environmental resources within the proposed permit area and adjacent areas that may be affected or impacted by the proposed surface mining activities.
§ 779.12   General environmental resources information.
Each application shall describe and identify—
(a) The lands subject to surface coal mining operations over the estimated life of those operations and the size, sequence, and timing of the subareas for which it is anticipated that individual permits for mining will be sought; and
(b)(1) The nature of cultural, historic and archeological resources listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and known archeological sites within the proposed permit and adjacent areas. The description shall be based on all available information, including, but not limited to, information from the State Historic Preservation Officer and from local archeological, historical, and cultural preservation agencies.
(2) The regulatory authority may require the applicant to identify and evaluate important historic and archeological resources that may be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, through
(i) Collection of additional information,
(ii) Conduct of field investigations, or
(iii) Other appropriate analyses.
§ 779.18   Climatological information.
(a) When requested by the regulatory authority, the application shall contain a statement of the climatological factors that are representative of the proposed permit area, including:
(1) The average seasonal precipitation;
(2) The average direction and velocity of prevailing winds; and
(3) Seasonal temperature ranges.
(b) The regulatory authority may request such additional data as deemed necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of this subchapter.
§ 779.19   Vegetation information.
(a) The permit application shall, if required by the regulatory authority, contain a map that delineates existing vegetative types and a description of the plant communities within the proposed permit area and within any proposed reference area. This description shall include information adequate to predict the potential for reestablishing vegetation.
(b) When a map or aerial photograph is required, sufficient adjacent areas shall be included to allow evaluation of vegetation as important habitat for fish and wildlife for those species of fish and wildlife identified under 30 CFR 780.16.
§ 779.20   [Reserved]
§ 779.21   Soil resources information.
(a) The applicant shall provide adequate soil survey information of the permit area consisting of the following:
(1) A map delineating different soils;
(2) Soil identification;
(3) Soil description; and
(4) Present and potential productivity of existing soils.
(b) Where the applicant proposes to use selected overburden materials as a supplement or substitute for topsoil, the application shall provide results of the analyses, trials, and tests required under 30 CFR 816.22.
§ 779.24   Maps: General requirements.
The permit application shall include maps showing—
(a) All boundaries of lands and names of present owners of record of those lands, both surface and subsurface, included in or contiguous to the permit area;
(b) The boundaries of land within the proposed permit area upon which the applicant has the legal right to enter and begin surface mining activities;
(c) The boundaries of all areas proposed to be affected over the estimated total life of the proposed surface mining activities, with a description of size, sequence, and timing of the mining of sub-areas for which it is anticipated that additional permits will be sought;
(d) The location of all buildings on and within 1,000 feet of the proposed permit area, with identification of the current use of the buildings;
(e) The location of surface and sub-surface man-made features within, passing through, or passing over the proposed permit area, including, but not limited to major electric transmission lines, pipelines, and agricultural drainage tile fields;
(f) The location and boundaries of any proposed reference areas for determining the success of revegetation;
(g) The locations of water supply intakes for current users of surface water flowing into, out of, and within a hydrologic area defined by the regulatory authority, and those surface waters which will receive discharges from affected areas in the proposed permit area;
(h) Each public road located in or within 100 feet of the proposed permit area;
(i) The boundaries of any public park and locations of any cultural or historical resources listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and known archeological sites within the permit and adjacent areas.
(j) Each cemetery that is located in or within 100 feet of the proposed permit area.
(k) Any land within the proposed permit area which is within the boundaries of any units of the National System of Trails or the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, including study rivers designated under section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act; and
(l) Other relevant information required by the regulatory authority.
§ 779.25   Cross sections, maps, and plans.
(a) The application shall include cross sections, maps, and plans showing—
(1) Elevations and locations of test borings and core samplings;
(2) Elevations and locations of monitoring stations used to gather data for water quality and quantity, fish and wildlife, and air quality, if required, in preparation of the application;
(3) Nature, depth, and thickness of the coal seams to be mined, any coal or rider seams above the seam to be mined, each stratum of the overburden, and the stratum immediately below the lowest coal seam to be mined;
(4) All coal crop lines and the strike and dip of the coal to be mined within the proposed permit area;
(5) Location and extent of known workings of active, inactive, or abandoned underground mines, including mine openings to the surface within the proposed permit and adjacent areas;
(6) Location and extent of sub-surface water, if encountered, within the proposed permit or adjacent areas;
(7) Location of surface water bodies such as streams, lakes, ponds, springs, constructed or natural drains, and irrigation ditches within the proposed permit and adjacent areas;
(8) Location and extent of existing or previously surface-mined areas within the proposed permit area;
(9) Location and dimensions of existing areas of spoil, waste, and non-coal waste disposal, dams, embankments, other impoundments, and water treatment and air pollution control facilities within the proposed permit area;
(10) Location, and depth if available, of gas and oil wells within the proposed permit area and water wells in the permit area and adjacent area;
(b) Cross sections, maps and plans included in a permit application as required by this section shall be prepared by, or under the direction of, and certified by a qualified, registered, professional engineer, a professional geologist, or in any State which authorizes land surveyors to prepare and certify such cross sections, maps and plans, a qualified, registered, professional, land surveyor, with assistance from experts in related fields such as landscape architecture, and shall be updated as required by the regulatory authority.