Restoration of a watershed through remining and funded projects
Conference
·
OSTI ID:613878
- Virginia Dept. of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, Division of Mined Land Reclamation, Big Stone Gap, VA (United States)
Abandoned mined land areas include coal mine sites that were mined and abandoned before the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-87), and post-act permits that have been forfeited and not reclaimed to standards. These areas can become sources of acid mine drainage and erosional runoff which result in stream degradation. The Black Creek watershed located in Wise County, Virginia covers an area of approximately 2,298 acres. Coal mining activities have been ongoing within this watershed for decades; consequently, it contains abandoned mine lands, bond forfeiture sites (not reclaimed to standards), and acid mine drainage discharges. Red River Coal Company conducted feasibility studies and determined which parts of the watershed were profitable for remining. On September 27, 1996, Virginia`s Division of Mined Land Reclamation approved a surface mining permit that covers 1922.0 acres in this watershed. This permit proposes remining and reclaiming a major portion of the watershed; however, it does not include plans for abandoned lands that are not feasible for mining. Abandoned lands outside Red River`s permit area include some of the more critically affected areas which are characterized by acid mine drainage discharges, failing wetland environments, and clogged stream areas. Restoration of the Black Creek watershed can only be achieved through a combination of remining, and funded Abandoned Mine Lands projects. Funding sources could include Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative grants, Environmental Protection Agency grants, or Abandoned Mine Lands grants.
- OSTI ID:
- 613878
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9705128--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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