Background, Development and Contents of the PHCCHIA Technical Reference Document

1
Background, Development and Contents of the
PHC/CHIA Technical Reference Document

• Deborah Dale, Hydrogeologist
• OSM-MCR
• Alton, Illinois

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Topics

• What is the PHC/CHIA reference document?

• Background into the development of the document

• Contents

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What is the PHC/CHIA reference document?

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Hydrologic Considerations for Permitting and
Liability Release Probable Hydrologic
Consequences (PHC) Determination Cumulative
Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA)Post-Mining
Hydrologic Assessment (PHA)

• Technical reference for the MCR

DRAFT

• Distributed by the Mid-Continent Technology
  Development and Transfer Team

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• Purpose of the document

• To provide a systematic approach within the MCR
  for the review and development of PHCs CHIAs

• Insight into the regulatory basis for bond
  release and post-reclamation hydrologic balance

• Authors of the document

• Brian Hicks, OSM-MCR

• Wayne VanBuren, ADEQ

• Timothy Walter, TX RRC

• Deborah Dale, OSM-MCR

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Background into the development of the guidance
document

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Milestones in the Development of PHC/CHIA
Guidance Documents

May 1980

• The Determination of Probable Hydrologic
  Consequences and The Statement of the Results
• of Test Borings or Core Sampling

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Milestones in the Development of PHC/CHIA
Guidance Documents

December 1985

• DRAFT Guidelines for Preparation of a Probable
  Hydrologic Consequences Determination (PHC)

• DRAFT Guidelines for Preparation of a Cumulative
  Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA)

• DRAFT Appendices to PHC and CHIA Guidelines
  Documents

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Milestones in the Development of PHC/CHIA
Guidance Documents

January 1997

• DRAFT Managing Hydrologic Information A
  Resource for Development of Probable Hydrologic
  Consequences (PHC) and Cumulative Hydrologic
  Impact Assessment (CHIA)

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Milestones in the Development of PHC/CHIA
Guidance Documents

August 1999

• OSMs Hydrologic Issues Team releases to the
  states for review and comment a Phase I guidance
  document for baseline data (draft)

April 2001

• Hydrologic Issues Team meets with states to
  review a draft outline for a Phase II guidance
  document for writing PHCs and CHIAs (Austin)

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Milestones in the Development of PHC/CHIA
Guidance Documents

• Following the Austin meeting, several states
  raised concerns through the Interstate Mining
  Compact Commission (IMCC) about OSMs proposed
  approach
• A main concern was that the preparation of any
  guidance document would carry a requirement for
  mandatory use rather than discretionary use

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Milestones in the Development of PHC/CHIA
Guidance Documents

• The IMCC and the Western Interstate Energy Board
  (WIEB) requested, and OSM agreed, to defer
  additional work on Phase II PHC/CHIA guidance
  until a State-Federal workshop on this subject
  could be held and the results assessed.

March 2002

• Intergovernmental Benchmarking Workshop on
  PHC/CHIAs (New Orleans)

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Milestones in the Development of PHC/CHIA
Guidance Documents

• (57) topics relating to PHC/CHIA permitting
  hydrology (either concerns, issues or merely
  areas of interest) were identified during the
  course of the workshop

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Milestones in the Development of PHC/CHIA
Guidance Documents

January 2006

• Draft Methodology for Review and Preparation of
  PHC Determinations and CHIAs in the Mid-Continent
  Region

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Draft
Technical Reference for the Mid-Continent Region
Hydrologic Considerations for Permitting
and Liability Release Probable Hydrologic
Consequences (PHC) Determination Cumulative
Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA) Post-Mining
Hydrologic Assessment (PHA) Distributed by the
Mid-Continent Technology Development and Transfer
Team
September 2006
16

Hydrologic Considerations for Permitting and
Liability Release Probable Hydrologic
Consequences (PHC) Determination Cumulative
Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA)Post-Mining
Hydrologic Assessment (PHA)
17

• This guidance document has (4) main sections
• Probable Hydrologic Consequence (PHC)
• Hydrologic Reclamation Plan (HRP)
• Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA)
• Post-Mining Hydrologic Assessment (PHA)

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Probable Hydrologic Consequences (PHC)
Determination

• Addresses the anticipated effects of the planned
  mining and reclamation on the quality/quantity of
  sw and gw systems

• Describe and characterize the subsurface strata

• Determine if AFM are present

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PHC -

• Disposal/storage operations

• Non-coal waste

• Coal combustion byproducts

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PHC -

• Erosion and sediment control

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PHC -

• Mining methods

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PHC -

• Coal-bed methane recovery

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Hydrologic Reclamation Plan (HRP)

• Detailed description of how to

• Minimize impacts to sw gw systems within and
  adjacent to the permit area and

• Prevent material damage outside the permit area

HRP must include mitigation plans for hydrologic
impacts - BTCA

• HRP Elements

• Controlled placement
• of overburden

• Water management

• Mitigation options

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HRP Elements (continued)

• Non-acidic mine drainage

• High TDS (i.e. sulfates, chlorides)

• Recharge capacity

• Disposal activities

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HRP Elements (continued)

• Water supply replacement

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Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA)

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Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA)

• An assessment of the probable cumulative impacts
  of all anticipated mining in an area to assure
  the operation has been designed to prevent
  material damage to the hydrologic balance outside
  the permit area

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Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment (CHIA)

• An assessment of the probable cumulative impacts
  of all anticipated mining in an area to assure
  the operation has been designed to prevent
  material damage to the hydrologic balance outside
  the permit area

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Highlights of the CHIA section

• When is a CHIA required?

• Relationship between PHC and CHIA

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Highlights of the CHIA section (continued)

• Cumulative Impact Area (CIA)

• Definition of the CIA

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Highlights of the CHIA section (continued)

• Cumulative Impact Area (CIA)

• Definition of the CIA

• Qualitative delineation of the CIA (sw and gw)

• Baseline conditions

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Highlights of the CHIA section (continued)

• Material damage

• Definition (from previous draft CHIA guidelines,
  OSM 1985, 1997) examples

• Functions of material damage criteria (standards,
  enforcement)

• Methods for analysis of cumulative hydrologic
  impacts

• Statement of findings

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Post-Mining Hydrologic Assessment (PHA)

Regulatory basis for release of performance bonds
Post-reclamation hydrologic balance
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Appendices
Appendix A Glossary of water-related words,
153 p

Appendix B Outline of suggested minimum
requirements for PHCs
Appendix C Outline of suggested minimum
requirements for HRPs
Appendix D Outline of suggested minimum
requirements for CHIAs
Appendix E Outline of suggested minimum
requirements for PHAs
Appendix F Resources for processes/tools for
determining impacts, 17 p (databases,
software, training, etc.)