Administrative Rules of Montana › Department 17 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Chapter 17.24 - RECLAMATION › Subchapter 17.24.3 - Strip and Underground Mine Reclamation Act: Definitions and Strip Mine Permit Application Requirements › Rule 17.24.313 - RECLAMATION PLAN

Current through Register Vol. 13, July 5, 2024
(1) Each
				reclamation plan must contain a description of the reclamation operations
				proposed, including the following information:
(a) the proposed postmining land use pursuant
				to ARM 17.24.762;
(b) a detailed timetable for the estimated
				completion of each major step in the reclamation plan;
(c) a detailed estimate of the cost of
				reclamation of the proposed operations that will be covered by a performance
				bond with supporting calculations for the estimate;
(d) a plan for backfilling, stabilization,
				compacting, and grading of the proposed permit area. The plan for backfilling
				must contain:
(i) a description of the final
				location of all overburden and parting materials in the fill. Diagrams must be
				included, as necessary;
(ii) a
				narrative and cross-sections, or other means as approved by the department,
				showing the plan of highwall backfilling, reduction, or an alternative thereof,
				including the limits of buffer zone consistent with the performance standards
				of ARM 17.24.501 and
				17.24.515;
(iii) a narrative description of the
				derivation of the bulking factor (swell) used by the applicant in calculation
				of spoil volumes and generation of postmining contour maps. Calculations used
				in the derivation must be included;
(iv) a map showing the postmining topography
				that the applicant proposes to meet at the time of final bond release. This map
				must be prepared to reflect the performance standards; and
(v) a demonstration that the proposed
				postmining topography can be achieved. This demonstration must include a
				cross-section or set of cross-sections, or other method as approved by the
				department, to depict the removal of overburden and mineral and the replacement
				of the swelled spoil;
(e)
				a description of postmining drainage basin reclamation that ensures protection
				of the hydrologic balance, achievement of postmining land use performance
				standards, and prevention of material damage to the hydrologic balance in
				adjacent areas, including:
(i) a comparison
				of premining and postmining drainage basin size, drainage density, and drainage
				profiles as necessary to identify characteristics not distinguishable on the
				premining and postmining topographic maps;
(ii) a discussion of how, within drainage
				basins:
(A) the plan meets each performance
				standard in ARM
				17.24.634;
(B) the requirements of
				82-4-231(10)(k),
				MCA, and ARM
				17.24.314 will be met where the
				postmining topography differs from the premining as allowed by ARM
				17.24.301(13)(c);
(f) drainage channel
				designs appropriate for preventing material damage to the hydrologic balance in
				the adjacent area and to meet the performance standards of ARM 17.24.634,
				including:
(i) detailed drainage designs for
				channels that contain critical hydrologic, ecologic or land use functions not
				already addressed in this rule such as alluvial valley floors, wetlands, steep
				erosive upland drainages, drainages named on USGS topographic maps, or
				intermittent or perennial streams. Detailed drainage designs include fluvial
				and geomorphic characteristics pertinent to the specific drainages being
				addressed; and
(ii) for all other
				channels, typical designs and discussions of general fluvial and geomorphic
				habit, pattern, and other relevant functional
				characteristics;
(g)
				plans for removal, storage, and redistribution of soil, overburden, spoils, and
				other material in accordance with ARM 17.24.501, 17.24.502, 17.24.503,
				17.24.504, 17.24.505, 17.24.507, 17.24.510, 17.24.514, 17.24.515, 17.24.516,
				17.24.517, 17.24.518, 17.24.519, 17.24.520, 17.24.521, and 17.24.522, and
				17.24.701 through 17.24.703;
(i) These plans
				must include or reference other narratives in the application documenting how
				the information on the characteristics of the overburden and coal (ARM
				17.24.304(1)(g))
				and soils (ARM
				17.24.304(1)(k))
				was utilized in developing the plans.
(ii) Using the soil survey information (see
				ARM 17.24.304(1)(k)
				), the applicant shall propose estimated
				salvage depths for each lift of each soil component (series or phase) of each
				soil mapping unit.
(iii) The
				application must also include figures with supporting calculations showing:
(A) total acreages and volumes of salvageable
				soil of each lift from each soil component of each soil mapping unit;
				and
(B) the anticipated
				thickness(es) of soil redistribution for each lift, and in total, on the area
				of land affected after regrading;
(iv) The applicant must submit plans for any
				necessary monitoring of soils, overburden, spoils, or other
				materials;
(h) a
				narrative of the method for revegetation including, but not limited to, a
				discussion of:
(i) revegetation types,
				including acreage of each;
(ii) the
				schedule of revegetation;
(iii)
				species and amounts per acre of seeds and seedlings to be used, calculated as
				pure live seed;
(iv) introduced
				species to be used, if any, and documentation of the desirability and necessity
				of using the introduced species to achieve the approved postmining land
				use;
(v) methods to be used in
				planting and seeding;
(vi)
				approximate, normal, annual seeding and planting dates;
(vii) the use of nurse or cover crop and
				mulching techniques;
(viii) soil
				tillage, amendments or other management techniques to assist in vegetative
				establishment;
(ix) vegetation
				monitoring to be implemented to identify conditions during the period of
				liability;
(x) measures to be used
				to determine the success of revegetation, including the use of reference areas
				and/or technical standards in relation to the revegetation types pursuant to
				ARM 17.24.724 and
				17.24.726;
(xi) plans for determining quality,
				fertility, and thickness of redistributed soil and for determining quality of
				regraded spoil. The purpose of these plans is to evaluate the results of the
				handling of soils, overburden, wastes, and other materials and to evaluate
				reclamation procedures related to revegetation; and
(xii) the types of major equipment to be used
				in the above operations.
(i) a description, including appropriate
				cross-sections and maps, of the measures to be used to seal or manage mine
				openings, and to plug, case, or manage prospecting holes, other bore holes,
				wells, and other openings within the proposed permit area in accordance with
				subchapter 9 and ARM
				17.24.1005; and
(j) a narrative explaining reclamation of
				facilities and sites identified under ARM
				17.24.308(1)(b).