Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Local Control of Mining Rights • Counties Often Have Comprehensive Land Use Plans – These may be implemented through zoning – Often require construction permit for erection of facilities • Can get real fun when need permit to build sediment pond required by SMCRA and construction permit laws contradict SMCRA Previous Laws All Regulate the Right to Mine • Other laws regulate actions related to mining or environmental discharges and loads incidental to mining. • Clean Air Act as Amended 1990 Contains Provisions Directly and Indirectly Regulating Mining – Fugitive dust and lesser extent diesel emissions – Emissions from Coal Combustion Environmental Laws Summary • Clean Water Act with 1977 Amendments shifted emphasis to control effluents – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Program (NPDES permits for process or disturbed water discharges) – Storm Water Discharge Permits – Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plans Environmental Discharges • Safe Drinking Water Act – Important provisions for underground injection – Ground Water Monitoring • Water Pollution Control Act – Requires Army Corp Engineer for Dredge and Fill operations in waters – Law particularly impacts disturbance of wetlands Solid Waste Laws • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act – Regulates creation, handling and disposal of almost anything solid – Impacts Mineral Processing Wastes and Overburden Materials – Impacts Chemical Inventories on Site – Underground Storage Tank Regulations – Impacts wastes from use of mined materials - particularly coal combustion products More Solid Waste Laws • Comprehensive Environmental Response , Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 – Also known as CERCLA – Also known as Superfund (Not to be confused with super fun) – Also known as the Lawyers Employment Security Act – Created a liability framework for previous dumps of “hazardous materials” • Mill Tailings and abandoned sites potential target Just When You Thought it was Safe to Go Back in the Water • 1986 Congress Ammended CERCLA – Superfund Ammendments and Reauthorization Act or SARA • Title III of SARA created the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act – Requires community planning for chemical disasters – Also requires disclosure of goodies kept on property to the community Regulation of Onsite Materials • Toxic Substances Control Act of 1960 – Testing of substances for hazardous properties – 1986 amended to require asbestos abatements - could impact commercial facilities – Impacts PCBs which could effect old transformers Worker Protection • Occupational Safety and Health Act – Created OSHA – OSHA not really responsible for heavy mine site but • Asbestos exposure limitations under act • Now Crystalline Silica becoming an issue – Series of studies by toxicologists that ordered silica from any where and stuffed mouse lungs got tumors some of the time – Commission of scientists made poor choice words made beach sand carcinogen but only if inhaled in workplace Worker Protection at Mines • Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (actually reauthorization of a 60s law) – Established the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) – Established Frame work of safe operating principles – Created whistle blowing provisions and protections • Additional information in Mining Engineering Handbook pg 502-519, 174-201