Pennsylvania Code › Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Part I - Department of Environmental Protection › Subpart C - Protection of Natural Resources › Article I - Land Resources › Chapter 87 - SURFACE MINING OF COAL › Subchapter D - SURFACE COAL MINES: MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATION AND RECLAMATION PLAN › Section 87.83 - Prime farmlands

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
A person who conducts, or intends to conduct, surface
						  coal mining and reclamation operations on prime farmland historically used for
						  cropland shall submit a plan, as part of the permit application, for the mining
						  and restoration of the land. The plan shall contain at a minimum:
(1) The proposed method and type of equipment
						to be used for removal, storage and replacement of the soil in accordance with
						§§ 87.177-87.181.
(2) The proposed measures to be taken during
						soil reconstruction to prevent excessive compaction and achieve soil bulk
						densities which will result in the restored area returned to equivalent or
						higher levels of yield as nonmined prime farmland in the surrounding area under
						equivalent levels of management.
(3) The location of areas to be used for the
						separate stockpiling of the soil and plans for soil stabilization before
						distribution.
(4) If applicable,
						documentation, such as agricultural school studies or other scientific data
						from comparable areas, that supports the use of other suitable material,
						instead of the B or C soil horizon, to obtain on the restored area equivalent
						or higher levels of yield as nonmined prime farmlands in the surrounding area
						under equivalent levels of management.
(5) Plans for seeding or cropping the final
						graded disturbed land and the conservation practices to be used to adequately
						control erosion and sedimentation and restoration of an adequate soil moisture
						regime, during the period from completion of regrading until release of the
						bond under Chapter 86 Subchapter F (relating to bonding and insurance
						requirements). Proper adjustments for seasons shall be proposed so that final
						graded land is not exposed to erosion during seasons when vegetation or
						conservation practices cannot be established due to weather
						conditions.
(6) Available
						agricultural school studies or other scientific data for areas with comparable
						soils, climate and management-including water management-that demonstrate that
						the proposed method of reclamation will achieve, within a reasonable time,
						equivalent or higher levels of yield after mining as existed before
						mining.
(7) A soil survey with
						description of soil mapping units and representative soil profile under §
						87.53(d)(1) (relating to prime farmland investigation). The soil profile
						description shall include, but not be limited to, soil horizon depths, pH and
						range of soil densities for each prime farmland soil unit within the proposed
						permit area. The Department may require the applicant to provide information on
						other physical and chemical soil properties as needed to make a determination
						that the operator has the technological capability to restore the prime
						farmland within the permit area to the soil reconstruction standards of
						§§ 87.178-87.181.
This section cited in 25 Pa. Code §
														87.177 (relating to prime
							 farmland: special requirements); 25 Pa. Code §
														87.180 (relating to prime
							 farmland: soil replacement); and 25 Pa. Code §
														87.181 (relating to prime
							 farmland: revegetation).