§ 817.13 - Casing and sealing of exposed underground openings: General requirements.

§ 817.13 What special requirements apply to drilled holes, wells, and exposed underground openings?

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, you must case, line, otherwise manage each exploration hole, drilled hole,

Casing and sealing of exposed underground openings: General requirements.

Each exploration hole, other drillhole or borehole, shaft, well, or other exposed underground opening

in a manner

shall be cased, lined, or otherwise managed as approved by the regulatory authority to

- (1) Prevent

prevent acid or other toxic drainage from entering

groundwater

ground and surface

water. (2) Minimize

waters, to minimize disturbance to the prevailing hydrologic balance

. (3) Ensure

and to ensure the safety of people, livestock, fish and wildlife, and machinery in the permit area and

the

adjacent area.

(b) You must prevent access to each temporarily inactive mine entry by constructing fences and barricades or other covering devices and posting signs that identify the hazardous nature of the opening. You must periodically inspect and maintain these fences and barricades in good operating condition.

(c) You must temporarily seal each

Each exploration hole,

drilled

drill hole

,

or borehole

, shaft, well, or other exposed underground opening that the approved permit identifies for use to monitor groundwater or to return underground development waste, coal processing waste, or water to underground workings until you are ready to actually use the hole or opening for that purpose.

(d) You may retain a drilled hole or groundwater monitoring well for use as a water well under the conditions established in § 817.39 of this part.

(e) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, you must permanently close each exploration hole, drilled hole, borehole, well, or underground opening that mining activities uncover or expose within the permit area, unless the regulatory authority -

(1) Approves use of the hole, well, or opening for water monitoring purposes; or

(2) Authorizes other management of the hole or well.

(f)

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, you must cap, seal, backfill, or otherwise properly manage each shaft, drift, adit, tunnel, exploratory hole, entryway or other opening to the surface when no longer needed for monitoring or any other use that the regulatory authority approves after finding that the use would not adversely affect the environment or public health and safety.

(2) Permanent closure measures taken under paragraph (f)(1) of this section must be -

(i) Consistent with § 75.1771 of this title;

(ii) Designed to prevent access to the mine workings by people, livestock, fish and wildlife, and machinery; and

(iii) Designed to keep acid or toxic mine drainage from entering groundwater or surface water.

(g) The requirements of this section do not apply to holes drilled and used for blasting as part of surface operations.

or well that is uncovered or exposed by mining activities within the permit area shall be permanently closed, unless approved for water monitoring or otherwise managed in a manner approved by the regulatory authority. Use of a drilled hole or monitoring well as a water well must meet the provisions of § 817.41 of this part. This section does not apply to holes drilled and used for blasting, in the area affected by surface operations.

[44 FR 15422, Mar. 13, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 14822, Apr. 5, 1983; 48 FR 43992, Sept. 26, 1983; 81 FR 93418, Dec. 20, 2016; 82 FR 54999, Nov. 17, 2017]