These violations do not cause any direct environmental impacts. At worst, they can delay recognition of a water quality problem. The latter would be in conjunction with the Department becoming responsible for the quarterly monitoring. Delayed backfilling of coal mine pits can exacerbate the production of acid mine drainage. Since all open pits constitute a hazard to public safety, delayed reclamation extends the length of time the hazard exists.
Current regulations provide flexibility if there is appropriate justification.
Non-regulatory options are limited but could include educating mine operators on the potential problems which can occur with delayed reclamation. This problem is usually caused by mine operators hiring subcontractors who use poor quality seeds, seedlings and planting techniques. Off-permit impacts are relatively minor as long as erosion and sedimentation controls are in place. The biggest impact is the delay experienced by the mine operator when applying for bond releases. A non-regulatory option is to educate mine operators on proper revegetation techniques.