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Coal and Water Virginia’s Challenge to Balance

Coal and Water Virginia’s Challenge to Balance. Richard Davis Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy November 15, 2011. Energy Gas & Oil Mined Land Reclamation Mineral Mining Mineral Resources Mines. A Geography/History Lesson. Virginia Coalfields.

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Coal and Water Virginia’s Challenge to Balance

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  1. Coal and WaterVirginia’s Challenge to Balance Richard Davis Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy November 15, 2011

  2. Energy • Gas & Oil • Mined Land • Reclamation • Mineral Mining • Mineral Resources • Mines

  3. A Geography/History Lesson Virginia Coalfields *all current production from southwest coalfield

  4. The balancing act: Public Law 95-87 TITLE I – STATEMENT OF FINDINGS AND POLICY SECTION 101 – CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS [30 U.S.C. 1201] The Congress finds and declares that – (b) …and it is, therefore, essential to the national interest to insure the existence of an expanding and economically healthy underground coal mining industry SECTION 102 – STATEMENT OF PURPOSE [30 U.S.C. 1202] It is the purpose of this Act to (f) assure that the coal supply essential to the Nation’s energy requirements, and to its economic and social well-being is provided and strike a balance between protection of the environment and agricultural productivity and the Nation’s need for coal as an essential source of energy; Governor Bob McDonnell, 10-18-11: 2nd Annual Governors Conference on Energy …"a reasonable balance" between environmental protection on the one hand and economic development and job creation on the other.

  5. We enhance the development and conservation of energy and mineral resources in a safe and environmentally sound manner to support a more productive economy Active surface mine in Dickenson County, Virginia

  6. 1.01.04 The DMLR will act on permit applications that are environmentally sound and meet regulatory requirements by: • Strengthening coordination with agencies • Utilizing regulatory work group • Updating review procedures for NPDES applications/permits • Finalizing offset credits and permit requirements • Developing NPDES permit software • Finalizing internal guidance for NPDES permits with respect to narrative standard, reasonable potential • Implementing waste load reduction actions in appropriate TMDL watersheds • 1.01.05 TMDL issues : • Finalizing review procedures for applications within TMDL watersheds • Finalizing guidelines for offsets and BMPs • Developing offset inventory • Developing TMDL waste load calculation software • . Active surface mine: Buchanan County, Virginia

  7. Sediment control pond and natural stream restoration: Russell County, Virginia

  8. Black Creek: Remining and AMD Abatement • AMD abatement • Benthic organisms recovering • 303d impaired stream • Powell River tributary • EPA approved TMDL • Remining as implementation strategy

  9. Forestry Reclamation Approach at Powell River Project: Wise County, Virginia September 2011 Virginia is a national leader in promoting reforestation as a post-mining land use.

  10. Stonega Gob Pile (center): TMDL offset project that completely removed an 11 acre gob pile

  11. DMME/TNC inventory project in high priority watersheds

  12. Ely Creek AMD Project

  13. Hurricane Fork of Dumps Creek: the single worst AML impact in the Clinch River watershed

  14. surface mine: Lee County, Virginia

  15. Contemporaneous reclamation • Administration of NPDES program • Fills in uppermost reaches of watersheds • Partnerships with local watershed groups • Partnerships with state/federal agencies • Memorandum of Understanding signatory • Clinch Powell Clean Rivers Initiative participant • Encouraging funding of sewage treatment plants DMME actions to improve water quality Reclaimed surface mine: Russell County, Virginia

  16. Mussel survey, October 2007: Clinch River

  17. questions

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