us epa region iv surface coal mining field activities 2009-2012 adventures in mountain top mining /...
TRANSCRIPT
- Slide 1
- US EPA Region IV Surface Coal Mining Field Activities 2009-2012 Adventures in Mountain Top Mining / Valley Fill Chris Decker
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- Overburden Removed Spoils placed in adjacent valley, Diagram of MTM/VF Process
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- Draglines remove coal, create spoil piles Regrading and continued dragline removal Final regrading, revegetation
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- Environmental Impacts Water Chemistry: Increased conductivity, Ca, Na, Se, K, Mg, Mn, and SO 4 impacts fish & macroinvertebrates Hydrology downstream greater base flow Compaction of soils slow regrowth of trees & and woody plants Loss of streams and wetlands Fragmentation of forests Terrestrial animal communities Increase grassland birds & snakes, decrease in amphibians cumulative environmental costs have not been fully investigated social, economic and heritage issues x
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- Regulations Mining operations are regulated under: Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 402 discharges to streams EPA, States Section 404 filling of streams/wetlands EPA & ACOE Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) Operating standards, permits, inspections DOI
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- What Have We Been Asked To Do Assess current conditions in order to guide permit decisions Establish baseline data for continued monitoring Investigate cumulative impacts
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- A Typical Study Site
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- Field Activities Water Quality Assessment water samples and in-situ monitoring conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, temp metals, hardness, sulfate, chloride, alkalinity, solids Bioassessment Macroinvertebrates - Kentucky MBI Fish - IBI and tissue Stream habitat Hydrologic Permanence Evaluation North Carolina method (2005) trace water flow to origins geomorphology, hydrology, biology document ephemeral, intermittent, perennial Flow status has regulatory implications x
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- Field Work 2009-2012 Number of Projects28 Streams187 Ponds70 Total Water Samples331 In-Situ Water Quality Observations414 Hydrologic Permanence Assessments54 Benthic Macro Samples179 Fish Samples (Tissue)33 Fish IBI11
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- Selected In-Stream Data 2009-2012 METALS (g/L)MINMEDIANMAX Barium123174 Cadmium0.050.210.81 Calcium110034000250000 Iron1003204800 Lead0.10.272.3 Magnesium87020000160000 Manganese5645800 Mercury0.000550.18.2 Nickel1023.5200 Potassium1000255013000 Selenium2.03.28.5 Hardness61601300 CLASSICALS (mg/L)MINMEDIANMAX chloride0.521.2250 sulfate5.31401100 TDS152701800 TSS4.11192 IN-SITUMINMEDIANMAX conductivity (S/cm)84203292 pH3.687.699.21 turbidity (NTU)04.151492 BENTHICSMINMEDIANMAX RBP habitat score96144190 Total Taxa Rich.656102 EPT Taxa Richness01534
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- Future Plans New Study Cumulative Impacts of Mining in Eastern Kentucky (CIMEK) Long Term Conductivity Monitoring
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- Cumulative Impacts Study (CIMEK) 60 Stations Sample Quarterly Water Samples Macroinvertebrates Fish Continuous Conductivity Monitoring 25 stations deployed HOBO loggers Possible 2 nd year extension ($$$)
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