Non-Metallic Mineral Mining Support
National Mining Company • Mid-Atlantic
Solution Overview
Client:
National mining company
Business Challenge:
In preparation for future cessation of mining at the site, the client needed support in reclamation and implementation activities.
Solution:
Apex assisted with this 10 plus year project from planning, permitting, engineering, and implementation.
Results:
- Compensatory mitigation was negotiated and purchased
- Onsite reforestation saved the client significant time and expense
- Successful stream rerouting and low impact development (LID)
- Positive feedback has been received on the results of the plans and monitoring
Challenge
In preparation for future cessation of mining at the site, the client needed support in reclamation and implementation activities, including the construction of a multi-billion gallon reservoir to support future water needs for the growing population of the Mid‑Atlantic coast.
Solution
Apex assisted a national mining company with a 10 plus year project from planning, permitting, engineering, and implementation. The following is a brief outline of some of the activities that occurred to plan for the future cessation of mining at the site, the creation of a multi‑billion gallon reservoir with infrastructure, and reclaiming the site to plan for the future water needs of the growing populations centers along the Mid‑Atlantic coast.
Planning
- Fatal Flaw Analysis (Phase I environmental site assessment [ESA], threatened and endangered [T&E] species, historic resources, pre-application meetings, etc.)
- Preliminary engineering plans and discussion with the locality, Virginia Division of Mineral Mining (DMM), and other regulatory agencies
Permitting
- Delineation of Waters of the US (500+ acre properties)
- Stream assessments and pereniality determination for onsite streams
- Survey for small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides)
- Section 404/401 Permit for impacts to Waters of the US and compensation plan
- Total maximum daily load (TMDL) water quality impact assessment and compensation plan
- Nutrient evaluation and reduction plan
- Environmental Quality Corridor (EQC) assessment and compensation plan
Engineering
- Dual pit design to route certain flows around the pits while having the ability to eventually turn flows into the pit for the creation of a multi-stage reservoir with billions of gallons of storage
- LID features (floating wetland treatment islands, bio‑retention swales, and large grasses lines swales for bypass and infiltration))
- Nutrient analysis of EQC and other buffers to be removed versus areas to be restored
- EQC and other buffers restoration plan and habitat evaluation procedures (HEP) modeling
Implementation
- Specifications, bid requests, and review
- Erosion and sedimentation (E&S) and 404/401 monitoring
- Coordination of compensatory wetland and stream credit purchases
- Rerouting a stream, and establishing LID features
- Construction monitoring
- Meetings with agencies
Results
- Compensatory mitigation was negotiated and purchased, where the client saves a considerable amount due to pre-purchase agreements in a volatile credit market where credits are become more and more scarce
- Buffer replanting was completed, and monitoring is showing success and growth of the trees, where the onsite reforestation saved the client significant time and expense
- Rerouting a stream and LID features are installed and proving very successful
- Agencies are providing positive feedback on the results of the plans and the monitoring