Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Chapter 31 - RECLAMATION REGULATIONS FOR MINERAL MINING › Part I - General Provisions › Section 4VAC25-31-10 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
The following words and terms when used in this chapter
					 shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates
					 otherwise:
"Acre-foot" means a unit of volume equal to 43,560 cubic
					 feet or 325,853 gallons. One acre-foot of water is equivalent to one acre
					 covered by water one foot deep.
"Berm" means a stable ridge of material used in reclamation
					 for the control of sound and surface water, safety, aesthetics, or such other
					 purpose as may be applicable.
"Critical areas" means problem areas such as those with
					 steep slopes, easily erodible material, hostile growing conditions,
					 concentration of drainage or other situations where revegetation or
					 stabilization will be potentially difficult.
"Dam break inundation zone" means the area downstream of a
					 dam that would be inundated or otherwise directly affected by the failure of a
					 dam.
"Department" means the Department of Energy.
"Director" means the Director of the Department Energy or
					 his designee.
"Division" means the Division of Mineral Mining.
"Fifty-year storm" means the storm magnitude expected to be
					 equaled or exceeded on the average of once in 50 years. It may also be
					 expressed as a probability that there is a 2.0% chance that the storm magnitude
					 may be equaled or exceeded in any given year. A 50-year, 24-hour storm occurs
					 when the total 50-year storm rainfall occurs in a 24-hour period.
"Inert waste" means brick, concrete block, broken concrete,
					 and uncontaminated minerals or soil.
"Intermittent stream" means a stream that contains flowing
					 water for extended periods during a year, but does not carry flows at all
					 times.
"Internal service roads" means roads that are to be used
					 for internal movement of raw materials, soil, overburden, finished, or
					 in-process materials within the permitted area, some of which may be
					 temporary.
"Natural drainageway" means any natural or existing
					 channel, stream bed, or watercourse that carries surface or ground
					 water.
"One hundred-year storm" means the storm magnitude expected
					 to be equaled or exceeded on the average of once in 100 years. It may also be
					 expressed as a probability that there is a 1.0% chance that the storm magnitude
					 may be equaled or exceeded in any given year. A 100-year, 24-hour storm occurs
					 when the total 100-year storm rainfall occurs in a 24-hour period.
"On-site generated mine waste" means the following items
					 generated by mineral mining or processing activities taking place on the
					 permitted mine site:
Drill steel
Tree stumps/land clearing debris
Crusher liners
Large off-road tires
Conveyor belting
Scrap wood or metal
Steel cable
Steel reinforced air hoses
Screen cloth
Broken concrete or block
Punch plate
V-belts
"Perennial stream" means a well-defined channel that
					 contains water year round during a year of normal rainfall. Generally, the
					 water table is located above the streambed for most of the year and groundwater
					 is the primary source for stream flow. A perennial stream exhibits the typical
					 biological, hydrological, and physical characteristics commonly associated with
					 the continuous conveyance of water.
"Permitted area" means the area within the defined boundary
					 shown on the application map including all disturbed land area, and areas used
					 for access roads and other mining-related activities.
"Principal access roads" means roads that are well-defined
					 roads leading from scales, sales offices, or loading points to a public
					 road.
"Probable maximum flood (PMF)" means the flood that might
					 be expected from the most severe combination of critical meteorologic and
					 hydrologic conditions that are reasonably possible in the region. The PMF is
					 derived from the current probable maximum precipitation (PMP) available from
					 the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
					 In some cases local topography or meteorological conditions will cause changes
					 from the generalized PMP values; therefore, it is advisable to contact local,
					 state, or federal agencies to obtain the prevailing practice in specific
					 cases.
"Qualified person" means a person who is suited by training
					 or experience for a given purpose or task.
"Regrade" or "grade" means to change the contour of any
					 surface.
"Riparian buffer" means an area of trees, shrubs, or other
					 vegetation that is managed to maintain the integrity of the stream channel and
					 reduce the effects of upland sources of pollution by trapping, filtering, and
					 converting sediments, nutrients, and other chemicals.
"Sediment" means undissolved organic or inorganic material
					 transported or deposited by water.
"Sediment basin" means a basin created by the construction
					 of a barrier, embankment, or dam across a drainageway or by excavation for the
					 purpose of removing sediment from the water.
"Spillway design flood (SDF)" means the largest flood that
					 needs be considered in the evaluation of the performance for a given project.
					 The impounding structure shall perform so as to safely pass the appropriate
					 SDF. Where a range of SDF is indicated, the magnitude that most closely relates
					 to the involved risk should be selected.
"Stabilize" means any method used to prevent movement of
					 soil, spoil piles, or areas of disturbed earth. This includes increasing
					 bearing capacity, increasing shear strength, draining, compacting, rip-rapping,
					 vegetating or other approved method.
"State waters" means all water, on the surface and under
					 the ground, wholly or partially within or bordering the Commonwealth or within
					 its jurisdiction, including wetlands.
"Ten-year storm" means the storm magnitude expected to be
					 equaled or exceeded on the average of once in 10 years. It may also be
					 expressed as a probability that there is a 10% chance that the storm magnitude
					 may be equaled or exceeded in any given year. A 10-year 24-hour storm occurs
					 when the total 10-year storm rainfall amount occurs in a 24-hour period.
"Top soil" means the surface layer and its underlying
					 materials that have properties capable of producing and sustaining
					 vegetation.
Statutory Authority: § 45.2-103 of the Code of
						Virginia.