2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 225 - PROFESSIONS, OCCUPATIONS, AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS › 225 ILCS 720/ - Surface Coal Mining Land Conservation and Reclamation Act. › Article IV - Performance Standards For Underground Mining

(225 ILCS 720/Art. IV heading)
ARTICLE IV:  
		PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
FOR UNDERGROUND MINING
(225 ILCS 720/4.01) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.01)
Sec. 4.01. 
		General Requirement. 
		Each person conducting underground mining
operations shall as a minimum comply with all applicable performance standards
set forth in this Article.  Each permit issued under this Act to conduct
underground mining operations shall require as a minimum that such operations
meet all applicable requirements set forth in this Article.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.02) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.02)
Sec. 4.02. 
		Subsidence. 
		Each operator shall adopt measures consistent
with known technology in order to prevent subsidence causing material damage
to the extent technologically and economically feasible, maximize mine stability,
and maintain the value and reasonably foreseeable use of surface lands,
except in those instances where the mining technology used requires planned
subsidence in a predictable and controlled manner.  Nothing in this Section
shall be construed to prohibit the standard method of room and pillar mining.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.03) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.03)
Sec. 4.03. 
		Sealing Openings. 
		All portals, entryways, drifts, shafts,
or other openings between the surface and underground mine working shall
be sealed when no longer needed for the conduct of the underground mining
operations.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.04) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.04)
Sec. 4.04. 
		Exploratory Holes. 
		All exploratory holes no longer necessary
for underground mining shall be filled or sealed, maximizing to the extent
technologically and economically feasible return of mine and processing
waste, tailings, and any other waste incident to the underground mining
operation, to the mine workings or excavations.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.05) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.05)
Sec. 4.05. 
		Wastes. 
		(a) With respect to surface disposal of mine wastes,
tailings, coal processing wastes, and other wastes in areas other than the
mine workings or excavations, all waste piles created by the permittee from
current underground mining operations shall be stabilized through construction
in compacted layers including the use of noncombustible and impervious materials
if necessary.  The operator shall assure that the leachate will not degrade
surface or ground waters below water quality standards established pursuant
to applicable Federal and State law, that the final contour of the waste
accumulation will be compatible with natural surroundings, and that the
site is stabilized and revegetated according to the provisions of this Article.
(b) The operator shall design, locate, construct, operate, maintain, enlarge,
modify, and remove, or abandon, in accordance with the standards and criteria
developed under this Act, all existing and new coal mine waste piles consisting of
mine wastes, tailings, coal processing wastes, or other liquid and solid
wastes and used either temporarily or permanently as dams or embankments.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.06) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.06)
Sec. 4.06. 
		Vegetation. 
		On regraded areas and all other lands affected,
there shall be established a diverse and permanent vegetative cover capable
of self-regeneration and plant succession and at least equal in extent of
cover to the natural vegetation of the area.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.07) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.07)
Sec. 4.07. 
		Offsite Areas. 
		Offsite areas shall be protected from damages
which may result from underground mining operations.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.08) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.08)
Sec. 4.08. 
		Hazards. 
		Fire hazards and other conditions which constitute a hazard to
health and safety of the public shall be eliminated.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.09) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.09)
Sec. 4.09. 
		Hydrology. 
		The operator shall minimize the disturbances of
the prevailing hydrologic balance at the minesite and in associated offsite
areas and to the quantity of water in surface and ground water systems both
during and after underground coal mining operations and during reclamation by-
(a) avoiding acid or other toxic mine drainage by such measures as, but
not limited to-
(1) preventing or removing water from contact with toxic-producing deposits;
(2) treating drainage to reduce toxic content which adversely affects
downstream water on being released to water courses;
(3) casing, sealing, or otherwise managing boreholes, shafts, and wells
to keep acid or other toxic drainage from entering ground and surface waters; and
(b) conducting underground mining operations so as to prevent, to the
extent possible using the best technology currently available, additional
contributions of suspended solids to streamflow or runoff outside the permit
area (but in no event shall such contributions be in excess of requirements
set by applicable State or Federal law), and avoiding channel deepening
or enlargement in operations requiring the discharge of water from mines.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.10) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.10)
Sec. 4.10. 
		Suspension of Operations in Urbanized Areas. 
		In order to
protect the stability of the land, the Department shall suspend underground
coal mining operations under urbanized areas, cities, towns, and communities
and adjacent to industrial or commercial buildings, major impoundments,
or permanent streams if it finds imminent danger to inhabitants of such areas.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)
(225 ILCS 720/4.11) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7904.11)
Sec. 4.11. 
		Other Impacts. 
		(a) With respect to other surface impacts of
underground mining operations not specified in this Article, including but
not limited to the construction of new roads or the improvement or use of
existing roads to gain access to the site of such activities, and for haulage,
repair areas, storage areas, processing areas, shipping areas, and other
areas on which are sited structures, facilities, or other property or materials
on the surface, resulting from or incident to such activities, the standards
set forth in and established under Article III shall be complied with.
The Department shall by rule make such modifications in the requirements
imposed by this Section as are necessary to accommodate the distinct difference
between surface and underground coal mining operations.  Such rules shall
compensate for regional differences and shall be consistent with and no
more stringent than rules adopted under the Federal Act.
(b) To the extent possible using the best technology currently available,
the operator shall minimize disturbances and adverse impacts of the underground
mining operation on fish, wildlife, and related environmental values, and
achieve enhancement of such resources where practicable.
(c) Openings for all new drift mines working acid-producing or iron-producing
coal seams shall be located in such a manner as to prevent a gravity discharge
of water from the mine.
(Source: P.A. 81-1015.)