These facilities will consist of a preparation plant, soil and coal stockpiles, rail loop and rail loadout facility, ventilation shafts, office, shop, bath house, roads, refuse disposal area, diversions and three sedimentation basins. Basin 003 will discharge via outfall 003 into an unnamed tributary to the Little Vermilion River. This discharge is classified as acid mine drainage from coal refuse piles. Groundwater monitoring requirements are specified in the permit. The coal preparation plant produces sized fuel for use in boilers, asphalt heaters, cement rotary kilns and power generating plants.
Oversize coal is transferred to a rotary breaker for crushing to smaller size.
The final coal product is loaded onto railcars via a rail loadout. The principal air contaminant emitted from the facility is particulate matter. Water sprays, enclosures and chemical suppressants will be used to control fugitive particulate matter emissions. Coal production is limited to 3,000,000 tons per year. The proposed permit limits particulate matter emissions from the plant to 34.5 tons per year.