reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-17 - Coal recovery and right of entry information

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Underground mining activities shall be
				conducted so as to maximize the utilization and conservation of the coal, while
				utilizing the best technology currently available to maintain environmental
				integrity, so that reaffecting the land in the future through surface coal
				mining operations is minimized.
(b)
				An application shall contain a description of the documents upon which the
				applicant bases his legal right to enter and begin underground coal mining and
				reclamation operations in the permit area and shall state whether that right is
				the subject of pending litigation. The description shall identify the document
				by type and date of execution, identify the specific lands to which the
				document pertains, and explain the legal rights claimed by the applicant.
(1) Where the private mineral estate to be
				mined has been severed from the private surface estate, an applicant shall also
				submit:
(a) A copy of the written consent of
				the private mineral estate owner for the extraction of coal by underground
				methods;
(b) A copy of the
				conveyance that expressly grants or reserves the right to extract coal by
				underground mining methods; or
(c)
				If the conveyance does not expressly grant the right to extract coal by
				underground mining methods, documentation that under applicable State Law, the
				applicant has the legal authority to extract the coal by those
				methods.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-18 - Use of explosives: general requirements

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Sections 460:20-45-18 through
				460:20-45-23
				apply to surface blasting activities incident to underground coal mining,
				including, but not limited to, initial rounds of slopes and shafts.
(b) Each operator shall comply with all
				applicable State and Federal laws and regulations in the use of
				explosives.
(c)
Blasters.
(1) No later than 12
				months after the blaster certification program required by Subchapter 65 of
				this Chapter has been approved, all surface blasting operations incident to
				underground mining in the State shall be conducted under the direction of a
				certified blaster. Before that time, all such blasting operations in that State
				shall be conducted by competent, experienced persons who understand the hazards
				involved.
(2) Certificates of
				blaster certification shall be carried by blasters or shall be on file at the
				permit area during blasting operations.
(3) A blaster and at least one other person
				shall be present at the firing of a blast.
(4) Any blaster who is responsible for
				conducting blasting operations at a blasting site shall:
(A) Be familiar with the site-specific
				performance standards; and
(B) Give
				direction and on-the-job training to persons who are not certified and who are
				assigned to the blasting crew or assist in the use of explosives.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-19 - Use of explosives: preblasting survey

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) At least 30 days before initiation of
				blasting, the operator shall notify, in writing, all residents or owners of
				dwellings or other structures located within 1/2 mile of the permit area how to
				request a preblasting survey.
(b) A
				resident or owner of a dwelling or structure within 1/2 mile of any Subchapter
				of the permit area may request a preblasting survey. This request shall be
				made, in writing, directly to the operator or to the Department, who shall
				promptly notify the operator. The operator shall promptly conduct a preblasting
				survey of the dwelling or structure and promptly prepare a written report of
				the survey. An updated survey of any additions, modifications, or renovations
				shall be performed by the operator if requested by the resident or
				owner.
(c) The operator shall
				determine the condition of the dwelling or structure and shall document any
				preblasting damage and other physical factors that could reasonably be affected
				by the blasting. Structures such as pipelines, cables, and transmission lines,
				and cisterns, wells, and other water systems warrant special attention;
				however, the assessment of these structures may be limited to surface
				conditions and other readily available data.
(d) The written report of the survey shall be
				signed by the person who conducted the survey. Copies of the report shall be
				promptly provided to the Department and to the person requesting the survey. If
				the person requesting the survey disagrees with the contents and/or
				recommendations contained therein, he or she may submit to both the operator
				and the Department a detailed description of the specific areas of
				disagreement.
(e) Any surveys
				requested more than 10 days before the planned initiation of blasting shall be
				completed by the operator before the initiation of blasting.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-20 - Use of explosives: general performance standards

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) The operator shall notify, in writing,
				residents within 1/2 mile of the blasting site and local governments of the
				proposed times and locations of blasting operations. Such notice of times that
				blasting is to be conducted may be announced weekly, but in no case less than
				24 hours before blasting will occur.
(b) Unscheduled blasts may be conducted only
				where public or operator health and safety so require and for emergency
				blasting actions. When an operator conducts an unscheduled surface blast
				incidental to underground coal mining operations, the operator, using audible
				signals, shall notify residents within 1/2 mile of the blasting site and
				document the reason in accordance with Section
				460:20-45-23(p).
(c) All blasting shall be conducted between
				sunrise and sunset unless nighttime blasting is approved by the Department
				based upon a showing by the operator that the public will be protected from
				adverse noise and other impacts. The Department may specify more restrictive
				time periods for blasting.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-21 - Use of explosives: blasting signs, warnings, and access control

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
Blasting
				signs.
Blasting signs shall meet the specifications of Section
				460:20-45-3 of
				this Subchapter. The operator shall:
(1)
				Conspicuously place signs reading "Blasting Area" along the edge of any
				blasting area that comes within 100 feet of any public-road right-of-way, and
				at the point where any other road provides access to the blasting area;
				and
(2) At all entrances to the
				permit area from public roads or highways, place conspicuous signs which state
				"Warning! Explosives in Use," which clearly list and describe the meaning of
				the audible blast warning and all-clear signals that are in use, and which
				explain the marking of blasting areas and charged holes awaiting firing within
				the permit area.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-22 - Use of explosives: control of adverse effects

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
General requirements.
Blasting shall be conducted to prevent injury to persons, damage to public or
				private property outside the permit area, adverse impacts on any underground
				mine, and change in the course, channel, or availability of surface or ground
				water outside the permit area.
(b)
Airblast.
(1)
Limits.
(A) Airblast shall not
				exceed the maximum limits listed below at the location of any dwelling, public
				building, school, church, or community or institutional building outside the
				permit area, except as provided in Subsection (e) of this Section.
Lower frequency limit Maximum level,of
							 measuring system, in dB in Hz (+/-3 dB)
__________________________________
0.1 Hz or lower-flat
							 response1
134 peak.
2 Hz or lower-flat response
133 peak.
6 Hz or lower-flat response
129 peak.
C-weighted-slow response
							 n1
105 peak dBC.
1Only when
							 approved by the Department.
(B)
				If necessary to prevent damage, the Department may specify lower maximum
				allowable airblast levels than those of Paragraph (b) (1) (A) of this Section
				for use in the vicinity of a specific blasting operation.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-23 - Use of explosives: records of blasting operations

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
The operator shall retain a record of all blasts for at least
				  3 years. Upon request, copies of these records shall be made available to the
				  Department and to the public for inspection. Such records shall contain the
				  following data:
(1) Name of the
				operator conducting the blast.
(2)
				Location, date, and time of the blast.
(3) Name, signature, and certification number
				of the blaster conducting the blast.
(4) Identification, direction, and distance,
				in feet, from the nearest blast hole to the nearest dwelling, public building,
				school, church, community, or institutional building outside the permit area,
				except those described in Section
				460:20-45-22(e).
(5) Weather conditions, including those which
				may cause possible adverse blasting effects.
(6) Type of material blasted.
(7) Sketches of the blast pattern including
				number of holes, burden, spacing, decks, and delay pattern.
(8) Diameter and depth of holes.
(9) Types of explosives used.
(10) Total weight of explosives used per
				hole.
(11) The maximum weight of
				explosives detonated in an 8-millisecond period.
(12) Initiation system.
(13) Type and length of stemming.
(14) Mats or other protections
				used.
(15) Seismographic and
				airblast records, if required, which shall include:
(A) Type of instrument, sensitivity, and
				calibration signal or certification of annual calibration;
(B) Exact location of instrument and the
				date, time, and distance from the blast;
(C) Name of the person and firm taking the
				reading;
(D) Name of the person and
				firm analyzing the seismographic record; and
(E) The vibration and/or airblast level
				recorded.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-24 - Disposal of excess spoil: general requirements

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
General.
Excess spoil shall
				be placed in designated disposal areas within the permit area, in a controlled
				manner to:
(1) Minimize the adverse effects of
				leachate and surface-water runoff from the fill on surface and ground
				waters;
(2) Ensure mass stability
				and prevent mass movement during and after construction; and
(3) Ensure that the final fill is suitable
				for reclamation and revegetation compatible with the natural surroundings and
				the approved postmining land use.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-25 - Disposal of excess spoil: valley fills/head-of-hollow fills

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
Valley fills and head-of-hollow fills shall meet the
				  requirements of Section
				  460:20-45-24
				  and the additional requirements of this Section.
(1)
Drainage control.
(A) The top surface of the completed fill
				shall be graded such that the final slope after settlement will be toward
				properly designed drainage channels. Uncontrolled surface drainage may not be
				directed over the outslope of the fill.
(B) Runoff from areas above the fill and
				runoff from the surface of the fill shall be diverted into stabilized diversion
				channels designed to meet the requirements of Section
				460:20-45-10 and to
				safely pass the runoff from a 100-year, 6-hour precipitation event.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-26 - Disposal of excess spoil: durable rock fills

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
The Department may approve the alternative method of disposal
				  of excess durable rock spoil by gravity placement in single or multiple lifts,
				  provided the following conditions are met:
(1) Except as provided in this Section, the
				requirements of Section
				460:20-45-24
				are met.
(2) The excess spoil
				consists of at least 80 percent, by volume, durable, nonacid- and
				nontoxic-forming rock (e.g., sandstone or limestone) that does not slake in
				water and will not degrade to soil material. Where used, noncemented clay
				shale, clay spoil, soil, or other nondurable excess spoil material shall be
				mixed with excess durable rock spoil in a controlled manner such that no more
				than 20 percent of the fill volume, as determined by tests performed by a
				registered engineer and approved by the Department, is not durable
				rock.
(3) A qualified registered
				professional engineer certifies that the design will ensure the stability of
				the fill and meet all other applicable requirements.
(4) The fill is designed to attain a minimum
				long-term static safety factor of 1.5, and an earthquake safety factor of
				1.1.
(5) The underdrain system may
				be constructed simultaneously with excess spoil placement by the natural
				segregation of dumped materials, provided the resulting underdrain system is
				capable of carrying anticipated seepage of water due to rainfall away from the
				excess spoil fill and from seeps and springs in the foundation of the disposal
				area and the other requirements for drainage control are met.
(6) Surface water runoff from areas adjacent
				to and above the fill is not allowed to flow onto the fill and is diverted into
				stabilized diversion channels designed to meet the requirements of Section
				460:20-45-10 and to
				safely pass the runoff from a 100-year, 6-hour precipitation event.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-27 - Disposal of excess spoil: preexisting benches

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) The Department may approve the disposal
				of excess spoil through placement on preexisting benches, provided that all the
				standards set forth in Sections
				460:20-45-24(a),(b)(1),(d)(1)
				and the requirements of this Section are met.
(b) Excess spoil shall be placed only on the
				solid portion of the preexisting bench.
(c) The fill shall be designed, and
				constructed using current, prudent engineering practices. The design will be
				certified by a registered professional engineer. The spoil shall be placed on
				the solid portion of the bench in a controlled manner and concurrently
				compacted as necessary to attain a long term static safety factor of 1.3 for
				all portions of the fill. Any spoil deposited on any fill portion of the bench
				will be treated as excess spoil fill under
				460:20-45-24.
(d) The preexisting bench shall be backfilled
				and graded to:
(1) Achieve the most moderate
				slope possible which does not exceed the angle of repose, and
(2) Eliminate the highwall to the maximum
				extent technically practical.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-28 - Protection of underground mining [REVOKED]

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
Revoked at 12 Ok Reg
				  3592, eff 10-12-95
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-29 - Coal mine waste: general requirements

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
General.
All coal mine waste
				disposed of in an area other than the mine workings or excavations shall be
				placed in new or existing disposal areas within a permit area, which are
				approved by the Department for this purpose. Coal mine waste shall be hauled or
				conveyed and placed for final placement in a controlled manner to:
(1) Minimize adverse effects of leachate and
				surface-water runoff on surface and groundwater quality and quantity;
(2) Ensure mass stability and prevent mass
				movement during and after construction;
(3) Ensure that the final disposal facility
				is suitable for reclamation and revegetation compatible with the natural
				surroundings and the approved postmining land use;
(4) Not create a public hazard; and
(5) Prevent combustion.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-30 - Coal mine waste: refuse piles

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
Refuse piles shall meet the requirements of Section
				  460:20-45-29
				  of this Subsection, the additional requirements of this Section, and the
				  requirements of 30 CFR 77.214 and 77.215.
(1)
Drainage control.
(A) If the disposal area contains springs,
				natural or manmade water courses, or wet-weather seeps, the design shall
				include diversions and underdrains as necessary to control erosion, prevent
				water infiltration into the disposal facility, and ensure stability.
(B) Uncontrolled surface drainage may not be
				diverted over the outslope of the refuse pile. Runoff from areas above the
				refuse pile and runoff from the surface of the refuse pile shall be diverted
				into stabilized diversion channels designed to meet the requirements of Section
				460:20-45-10 to safely
				pass the runoff from a 100-year, 6-hour precipitation event. Runoff diverted
				from undisturbed areas need not be commingled with runoff from the surface of
				the refuse pile.
(C) Underdrains
				shall comply with the requirements of Section
				460:20-45-24(f)
				(3).
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-31 - Coal mine waste: impounding structures

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
New and existing impounding structures constructed of coal
				  mine waste or intended to impound coal mine waste shall meet the requirements
				  of Section
				  460:20-45-29.
(1) Coal mine waste shall not be used for
				construction of impounding structures unless it has been demonstrated to the
				Department that the stability of such a structure conforms to the requirements
				of this Subchapter and that the use of coal mine waste will not have a
				detrimental effect on downstream water quality or the environment due to acid
				seepage through the impounding structure. The stability of the structure and
				the potential impact of acid mine seepage through the impounding structure
				shall be discussed in detail in the design plan submitted to the Department in
				accordance with Section
				460:20-27-14
				of this Chapter.
(2)
(A) Each impounding structure constructed of
				coal mine waste or intended to impound coal mine waste shall be designed,
				constructed, and maintained in accordance with Section
				460:20-45-14(a) and
				(c) of this Subchapter. Such structures may
				not be retained permanently as Subchapter of the approved postmining land
				use.
(B) Each impounding structure
				constructed of coal mine waste or intended to impound coal mine waste that
				meets the criteria of Section 77.216(a) of 30 CFR shall have sufficient
				spillway capacity to safely pass, adequate storage capacity to safely contain,
				or a combination of storage capacity and spillway capacity to safely control
				the probable maximum precipitation of a 6-hour precipitation event, or greater
				event as specified by the Department.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-32 - Coal mine waste: burning and burned waste utilization

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Coal mine waste fires shall be
				extinguished by the person who conducts the surface mining activities, in
				accordance with a plan approved by the Department and the Mine Safety and
				Health Administration. The plan shall contain, at a minimum, provisions to
				ensure that only those persons authorized by the operator, and who have an
				understanding of the procedures to be used, shall be involved in the
				extinguishing operations.
(b) No
				burning or unburned coal mine waste shall be removed from a permitted disposal
				area without a removal plan approved by the Department. Consideration shall be
				given to potential hazards to persons working or living in the vicinity of the
				structure.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-33 - Disposal of noncoal mine wastes

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Noncoal mine wastes including, but not
				limited to, grease, lubricants, paints, flammable liquids, garbage, abandoned
				mining machinery, lumber, and other combustible materials generated during
				mining activities shall be placed and stored in a controlled manner in a
				designated portion of the permit area. Placement and storage shall ensure that
				leachate and surface runoff do not degrade surface or ground water, that fires
				are prevented, and that the area remains stable and suitable for reclamation
				and revegetation compatible with the natural surroundings.
(b) Final disposal of noncoal mine wastes
				shall be in a designated disposal site in the permit area or a State-approved
				solid waste disposal area. Disposal sites in the permit area shall be designed
				and constructed to ensure that leachate and drainage from the noncoal mine
				waste area does not degrade surface or underground water. Wastes shall be
				routinely compacted and covered to prevent combustion and windborne waste. When
				the disposal is completed, a minimum of 2 feet of soil cover shall be placed
				over the site, slopes stabilized, and revegetation accomplished in accordance
				with Sections
				460:20-45-43
				through
				460:20-45-46.
				Operation of the disposal site shall be conducted in accordance with all local,
				State, and Federal requirements.
(c) At no time shall any noncoal mine waste
				be deposited in a refuse pile or impounding structure, nor shall any excavation
				for a noncoal mine waste disposal site be located within 8 feet of any coal
				outcrop or coal storage area.
(d)
				Notwithstanding any other provision of these Regulations, any noncoal mine
				waste defined as "hazardous" under Section 3001 of the Resource Conservation
				and Recovery Act (RCRA) ( Pub. L. 94-580, as amended) and 40 CFR Part 261 shall
				be handled in accordance with the requirements of Subtitle C of RCRA and any
				implementing regulations.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-34 - Stabilization of surface areas

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
				All exposed surface areas shall be protected and stabilized to effectively
				control erosion and air pollution attendant to erosion.
(b) Rills and gullies which form in areas
				that have been regraded and topsoiled and which either:
(1) Disrupt the approved postmining land use
				or the reestablishment of the vegetative cover, or
(2) Cause or contribute to a violation of
				water quality standards for receiving streams, shall be filled, regraded, or
				otherwise stabilized; topsoil shall be replaced; and the areas shall be
				reseeded or replanted.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-36 - Slides and other damage

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
At any time a slide occurs which may have a potential adverse
				  effect on public, property, health, safety, or the environment, the person who
				  conducts the underground mining activities shall notify the Department by the
				  fastest available means and comply with any remedial measures required by the
				  Department.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-37 - Contemporaneous reclamation

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
Reclamation efforts, including but not limited to
				  backfilling, grading, topsoil replacement, and revegetation, on all areas
				  affected by surface impacts incident to an underground coal mine shall occur as
				  contemporaneously as practicable with mining operations, except when such
				  mining operations are conducted in accordance with a variance for concurrent
				  surface and underground mining activities issued under Section
				  460:20-33-8
				  of this Chapter. The Department may establish schedules that define
				  contemporaneous reclamation.
(1)
Timing of backfilling and grading.
(A) Contour mining. Rough backfilling and
				grading shall follow coal removal by not more than 60 days or 1,500 linear
				feet. The Department may grant additional time for rough backfilling and
				grading if the permittee can demonstrate, through a detailed written analysis
				under Section
				460:20-27-10(b)
				(3), that additional time is necessary;
(B) Open pit mining with thin overburden.
				Rough backfilling and grading shall occur in accordance with the time schedule
				approved by the Department, on the basis of the materials submitted under
				Section
				460:20-27-10(b)
				(3), which shall specifically establish in stated increments the period between
				removal of coal and completion of backfilling and grading.
(C) Area strip mining. Rough backfilling and
				grading shall be completed within 180 days following coal removal and shall not
				be more than four spoil ridges behind the pit being worked, the spoil from the
				active pit being considered the first ridge. The Department may grant
				additional time for rough backfilling and grading. If the permittee can
				demonstrate, through a detailed written analysis under Section
				460:20-27-10(b)
				(3), that additional time is necessary.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-38 - Backfilling and grading: general requirements

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Disturbed areas shall be backfilled and
				graded to:
(1) Achieve the approximate
				original contour, except as provided in Subsection(k) of this
				Section.
(2) Eliminate all
				highwalls, spoil piles, and depressions, except as provided in Subsection (h)
				(small depressions) and in (k) (2) (previously mined highwalls) of this
				Section;
(3) Achieve a postmining
				slope that does not exceed either the angle of repose or such lesser slope as
				is necessary to achieve a minimum long term static safety factor of 1.3 and to
				prevent slides;
(4) Minimize
				erosion and water pollution both on and off the site; and
(5) Support the approved postmining land
				use.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-39 - Backfilling and grading: thin overburden

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
In surface coal mining which is carried out at the same
				  location over a substantial period of time where the operation transects the
				  coal deposit and where the thickness of the coal deposit relative to the
				  thickness of the overburden is large and where the operator demonstrates that
				  the spoil and other waste materials available from the entire permit area are
				  insufficient, giving due consideration to volumetric expansion, to restore the
				  disturbed area to its approximate original contour, the operator shall, at a
				  minimum:
(1) Use all available spoil
				and waste materials to attain the lowest practicable grade, but not more than
				the angle of repose; and
(2) Meet
				the requirements of Sections
				460:20-43-38(a)
				(2) through
				460:20-43-38(j)
				of this Chapter.
(3) Thin
				overburden requirements apply when the final thickness of the swelled
				overburden is less than 80 percent of the sum of the overburden thickness and
				coal thickness prior to coal removal and when surface mining activity cannot
				achieve approximate original contour.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-40 - Backfilling and grading: thick overburden

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
The provisions of this section apply only where the final
				  thickness is greater than 1.2 of the initial thickness. Initial thickness is
				  the sum of the overburden thickness and coal thickness prior to removal of
				  coal. In surface coal mining where the thickness of the overburden is large
				  relative to the thickness of the coal deposit and where the operator
				  demonstrates that the volume of the spoil and other waste materials is more
				  than sufficient to restore the disturbed area to approximate original contour,
				  the operator shall, at a minimum, after restoring to approximate original
				  contour:
(1) Use the spoil and waste
				materials to attain the lowest practicable grade, but not more than the angle
				of repose;
(2) Meet the
				requirements of Sections
				460:20-43-38(a)
				(2) through
				460:20-43-38(j);
				and
(3) Dispose of any excess spoil
				in accordance with Sections
				460:20-43-24
				through
				460:20-43-27.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-41 - Backfilling and grading: previously mined areas

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Remining operations on previously mined
				areas that contain a preexisting highwall shall comply with the requirements of
				Sections
				460:20-45-38
				through
				460:20-45-42,
				except as provided in this Section.
(b) The requirements of Section
				460:20-45-38(a)
				(1) and
				460:20-45-38(a)
				(2) requiring that elimination of highwalls shall not apply to remining
				operations where the volume of all reasonably available spoil is demonstrated
				in writing to the Department to be insufficient to completely backfill the
				reaffected or enlarged highwall. The highwall shall be eliminated to the
				maximum extent technically practical in accordance with the following criteria:
(1) All spoil generated by the remining
				operation and any other reasonably available spoil shall be used to backfill
				the area. Reasonably available spoil shall be included within the permit
				area.
(2) The backfill shall be
				graded to a slope which is compatible with the approved postmining land use and
				which provides adequate drainage and long-term stability.
(3) Any highwall remnant shall be stable and
				not pose a hazard to the public health and safety or to the environment. The
				operator shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the regulatory authority,
				that the highwall remnant is stable.
(4) Spoil placed on the outslope during
				previous mining operations shall not be disturbed if such disturbances will
				cause instability of the remaining spoil or otherwise increase the hazard to
				the public health and safety or to the environment.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-42 - Backfilling and grading: steep slopes

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Underground mining activities on steep
				slopes shall be conducted so as to meet the requirements of Sections
				460:20-43-38
				through
				460:20-43-41,
				and the requirements of this Section
(b) The following materials shall not be
				placed on the downslope:
(1) Spoil.
(2) Waste materials of any type.
(3) Debris, including that from clearing and
				grubbing.
(4) Abandoned or disabled
				equipment.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-43 - Revegetation: general requirements

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) The permittee shall establish on regraded
				areas and on all other disturbed areas except water areas and surface areas of
				roads that are approved as part of the postmining land use, a vegetative cover
				that is in accordance with the approved permit and reclamation plan and that
				is:
(1) Diverse, effective, and
				permanent;
(2) Comprised of species
				native to the area, or of introduced species where desirable and necessary to
				achieve the approved postmining land use and approved by the
				Department;
(3) At least equal in
				extent of cover to the natural vegetation of the area; and
(4) Capable of stabilizing the soil surface
				from erosion.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-44 - Revegetation: timing

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
				Disturbed areas shall be planted during the first normal period for favorable
				planting conditions after replacement of the plant-growth medium. The normal
				period for favorable planting is that planting time generally accepted locally
				for the type of plant materials selected.
(b) Vegetation that is in accordance with the
				approved permit and reclamation plan shall be established not more than 36
				months after the disturbed areas have been retopsopiled, unless a written
				request for an extension has been submitted and approved by the Department
				prior to the expiration of the 36 month period.
(c) Extensions shall be approved solely on
				the basis of adverse climatic conditions demonstrated to the Department by the
				operator. Extensions shall be granted for no more than up to 12 months. Only
				one extension shall be approved.
Amended at 23 Ok Reg
				  3059, eff 7-27-06
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-45 - Revegetation: mulching and other soil stabilizing practices

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
Suitable mulch and other soil stabilizing practices shall be
				  used on all areas that have been regraded and covered by topsoil or topsoil
				  substitutes. The Department may waive this requirement if seasonal, soil, or
				  slope factors result in a condition where mulch and other soil stabilizing
				  practices are not necessary to control erosion and to promptly establish an
				  effective vegetative cover.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-46 - Revegetation: standards for success

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Success of revegetation shall be judged
				on the effectiveness of the vegetation for the approved postmining land use,
				the extent of cover compared to the cover occurring in natural vegetation of
				the area, and the general requirements of Section
				460:20-43-43.
(1) Standards for success and statistically
				valid sampling techniques for measuring success are identified in the Bond
				Release Guidelines published by the Department.
(2) Comparison of ground cover and
				productivity may be made on the basis of either reference areas or technical
				standards representative of unmined lands in the area. Management of references
				areas, if required for the approved postmining land use of the permit area.
				Species composition of the vegetation of the reference area and the reclaimed
				area must be comparable. Ground cover, production, or stocking shall be
				considered equal to the approved success standard (reference area of technical
				standard) when they are not less than 90 percent of the success standard. The
				sampling techniques for measuring success shall use a 90-percent statistical
				confidence interval (i.e., one-sided t-test with a 0.10 alpha error).
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-47 - Subsidence control

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
Operator measures to prevent or minimize damage.
(1) The operator shall either adopt measures
				consistent with known technology which prevents subsidence from causing
				material damage to the extent technologically and economically feasible,
				maximize mine stability, and maintain the value and reasonably foreseeable use
				of surface land; or adopt mining technology which provides for planned
				subsidence in a predictable and controlled manner. Nothing in this Subchapter
				shall be construed to prohibit the standard method of room-and-pillar
				mining.
(2) If an operator employs
				mining technology that provides for planned subsidence in a predictable and
				controlled manner, the operator must take necessary and prudent measures,
				consistent with mining method employed, to minimize material damage to the
				extent technologically and economically feasible to non-commercial buildings
				and to minimize material damages to such structures are not required if:
(A) The operator has the written consent of
				their owners or
(B) Unless the
				anticipated damage would constitute a threat to health or safety, costs of such
				measures exceed the anticipated costs of repair.
(3) Nothing in this part prohibits the
				standard method of room-and pillar-mining.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-48 - Subsidence control: public notice

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
At least 6 months prior to mining, or within that period if
				  approved by the Department, the underground mine operator shall mail a
				  notification to all owners and occupants of surface property and structures
				  above the underground workings. The notification shall include, at a minimum,
				  identification of specific areas in which mining will take place, dates that
				  specific areas will be undermined, and the location or locations where the
				  operator's subsidence control plan may be examined.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-49 - Cessation of operations: temporary

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) Each person who conducts underground
				mining activities shall effectively support and maintain all surface access
				openings to underground operations, and secure surface facilities in areas in
				which there are no current operations, but operations are to be resumed under
				an approved permit. Temporary abandonment shall not relieve a person of his or
				her obligation to comply with any provisions of the approved permit.
(b) Before temporary cessation of mining and
				reclamation operations for a period of 30 days or more, or as soon as it is
				known that a temporary cessation will extend beyond 30 days, each person who
				conducts underground mining activities shall submit to the Department a notice
				of intention to cease or abandon operations. This notice shall include a
				statement of the exact number of surface acres and the horizontal and vertical
				extent of subsurface strata which have been in the permit area prior to
				cessation or abandonment, the extent and kind of surface area reclamation which
				will have been accomplished, and identification of the backfilling, regrading,
				revegetation, environmental monitoring, underground opening closures, and
				water-treatment activities that will continue during the temporary
				cessation.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-50 - Cessation of operations: permanent

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a) The person who conducts underground
				mining activities shall close or backfill or otherwise permanently reclaim all
				affected areas, in accordance with this Chapter and according to the permit
				approved by the Department.
(b) All
				surface equipment, structures, or other facilities not required for continued
				underground mining activities and monitoring, unless approved as suitable for
				the postmining land use or environmental monitoring, shall be removed and the
				affected lands reclaimed.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-51 - Postmining land use

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
General.
All disturbed areas shall be restored in a timely manner
				to conditions that are capable of supporting:
(1) The uses they were capable of supporting
				before any mining; or
(2) Higher or
				better uses.
Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 460 - Department of Mines › Chapter 20 - The Permanent Regulations Governing the Coal Reclamation Act of 1979 › Subchapter 45 - Permanent Program Performance Standards: Underground Mining Activities › Section 460:20-45-52 - Roads: general

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
Road Classification system.
(1)
				Each road, as defined in Section
				460:20-3-5 of this
				Chapter shall be classified as either a primary road or an ancillary
				road.
(2) A primary road is any
				road which is:
(A) Used for transporting coal
				or spill;
(B) Frequently used for
				access or other purposes for a period in excess of six months; or
(C) To be retained for an approved postmining
				land use.
(3) An
				ancillary road is any road not classified as a primary road.