Utilization of coal ash/coal combustion products for mine reclamation

Conference · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

OSTI ID:514873

Dolence, R C; Giovannitti, E ^[1]

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1. Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg, PA (United States)

Society`s demand for an inexpensive fuel, combined with ignorance of the long term impacts, has left numerous scars on the Pennsylvania landscape. There are over 250,000 acres of abandoned surface mines with dangerous highwalls and water filled pits. About 2,400 miles of streams do not meet water quality standards because of drainage from abandoned mines. There are uncounted households without an adequate water supply due to past mining practices. Mine fires and mine subsidence plague many Pennsylvania communities. The estimated cost to reclaim these past scars is over $15 billion. The beneficial use of coal ash in Pennsylvania for mine reclamation and mine drainage pollution abatement projects increased during the past ten years. The increase is primarily due to procedural and regulatory changes by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Prior to 1986, DEP required a mining permit and a separate waste disposal permit for the use of coal ash in backfilling and reclaiming a surface mine site. In order to eliminate the dual permitting requirements and promote mine reclamation, procedural changes now allow a single permit which authorize both mining and the use of coal ash in reclaiming active and abandoned pits. The actual ash placement, however, must be conducted in accordance with the technical specifications in the solid waste regulations.

• OSTI ID: 514873
• Report Number(s): CONF-970456--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
ABANDONED SITES
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ASHES
COAL MINING
LAND RECLAMATION
LICENSING
PENNSYLVANIA
SURFACE MINING
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION