Section 90.305. Application approval or denial

(a) Authorization may not be granted under this subchapter unless the operator seeking the authorization affirmatively demonstrates the following to the satisfaction of the Department on the basis of information in the application:

(1) Neither the operator, nor an officer, principal shareholder, agent, partner, associate, parent corporation, subsidiary or affiliate, sister corporation, contractor or subcontractor, or a related party as defined in § 86.1 (relating to definitions) has either of the following:

(i) Legal responsibility or liability as an operator for treating the water pollution discharges from or on the proposed pollution abatement area.

(ii) Statutory responsibility or liability for reclaiming the proposed pollution abatement area.

(2) The proposed abatement plan will result in significant reduction of the baseline pollution load and represents best technology.

(3) The land within the proposed pollution abatement area can be reclaimed.

(4) The coal refuse disposal activities on the proposed pollution abatement area will not cause additional surface water pollution or groundwater degradation.

(5) The standard of success for revegetation will be achieved. The standard of success for revegetation for sites previously reclaimed to the standards of this chapter and Chapters 87 and 88 shall be the standards set forth in § 90.159 (relating to revegetation: standards for successful revegetation). The standard of success for revegetation for sites not previously reclaimed to the standards of this chapter and Chapters 87 and 88 shall be, at a minimum, the following, provided the site is not a bond forfeiture site where the forfeited money paid into the fund is sufficient to reclaim the forfeited site to the applicable standards:

(i) A ground cover of living plants not less than can be supported by the best available topsoil or other suitable material in the reaffected area.

(ii) A ground cover no less than that existing before disturbance of the area by coal refuse disposal activities.

(iii) Adequate vegetation to control erosion. Vegetation may be no less than that necessary to ensure the success of the abatement plan.

(6) The coal refuse disposal activities on permitted areas other than the proposed pollution abatement area will not cause surface water pollution or groundwater degradation.

(7) Requirements of § 86.37(a) (relating to criteria for permit approval or denial) that are consistent with this section have been met.

(b) An authorization may be denied under this subchapter if granting the authorization will, or is likely to, affect a legal responsibility or liability under The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. § § 691.1—691.1001), the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (52 P. S. § § 1396.1—1396.19b), Chapter 86 (relating to surface and underground coal mining: general) or Subchapters A—D, for the proposed pollution abatement area or other areas or discharges in the vicinity of the proposed pollution abatement area.

(c) Authorization may not be granted under this subchapter unless there are one or more preexisting discharges from or on the pollution abatement area.

(d) The authorization allowed under this subchapter is only for the pollution abatement area and does not apply to other areas of the permit.

The provisions of this § 90.305 amended August 21, 2015, effective August 22, 2015, 45 Pa.B. 4904. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (281277) to (281278).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 90.305 amended under section 5 of The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. § 691.5); sections 4(a) and 4.2 of the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (52 P. S. § § 1396.4(a) and 1396.4b); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 510-20).

Cross References

This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 90.309 (relating to criteria and schedule for release of bonds on pollution abatement areas).