Wetlands and Coal Surface Mining: A Management Handbook

As the third phase of a three-year project, this report outlines management options for protecting wetlands during the surface mining of coal, particularly for the portion of the Eastern Interior Coal Region that is found in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. It is presented in manual form for use by coal mine operators, regulatory agencies and research institutions. The previous phases of the project produced an atlas of the most heavily-mined areas of the western Kentucky coal field, which classified and identified wetlands in these areas, and discussed some specific impacts of mining on these wetlands. The need to present information that will lead to action by coal operations and regulatory agencies to protect wetland areas, is the incentive for this report. The main issues addressed in this the manual include: basic information for identifying wetlands; wetland values, and methods used for values assessment; how coal surface mining can affect wetlands; a method for addressing wetland protection needs and some prevention and mitigation actions; reclamation alternatives, including wetland restoration and the creation of wetlands as alternative ecosystems on mined areas; and general legal and regulatory information concerning wetland protection and surface mining of coal. Information was gathered through a search of current literature and by contact with state and federal agencies, some coal mining operations, and other concerned organizations. A detailed listing of places to go for more information is included as an appendix

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES FROM COAL SURFACE MINING IN KOSOVO

Fossil fuels (petroleum, gas, coal) are leaders in global level in energy production. The use of these resources have consequences for the environment where they are. Kosovo is well known for energy resources (coal-lignite, 10-14 billion tone) which are found in central part of Kosovo Plain. The huge amount of lignite makes that economic development of Kosovo to be dependent from this nonrenewable resource. The use of coal-lignite for energy production began in 50s of XX century. For energy production, in these area are open pit mines from which is extracted coal-lignite for power plants with a capacity of 7.8 million tons per year (2009). From that time, existing mines are extended, new pit mines are opened, wastelands and ash landfills are created, water, air and soils are polluted, thermal effects near power plants are made, etc. Holes created by the exploitation of lignite occupy an area about 1600 ha, overburden dumps courses covering another 1500 ha. The aim of this paper is to analyze the use of energy resources and geo-environmental changes that came due of this usage. The results achieved in this paper will be addressed to policy makers of governmental level, while the disturbance created by use of coal are affecting citizens in different aspects. In order to achieve satisfactory results, in this paper will be used analytical methods, comparative method (GIS and RS techniques, maps and aerial image of different year), field survey, etc

Number 15 (August 1984)

A Report on the Fishes of Bull Mountain Creek, with Comments on the Status of Rare Species. By M. Pierson and C.A. Schultz, 3 pp. Fishes of the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River, Kentucky. By B.A. Branson and D.L. Batch, 7 pp. A Survey of Fish Communities of Streams in Coal Surface Mining Areas of the Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee. By C.J. O\u27Bara and R.D. Estes, 4 pp. Recent Collections of Fishes from the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River System, Tennessee and Kentucky. By C.J. O\u27Bara and R.D. Estes, 5 pp

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN A DEPRESSED AREA: MALE-FEMALE DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES

Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Utilizing Skylab data in on-going resources management programs in the state of Ohio

The author has identified the following significant results. The use of Skylab imagery for total area woodland surveys was found to be more accurate and cheaper than conventional surveys using aerial photo-plot techniques. Machine-aided (primarily density slicing) analyses of Skylab 190A and 190B color and infrared color photography demonstrated the feasibility of using such data for differentiating major timber classes including pines, hardwoods, mixed, cut, and brushland providing such analyses are made at scales of 1:24,000 and larger. Manual and machine-assisted image analysis indicated that spectral and spatial capabilities of Skylab EREP photography are adequate to distinguish most parameters of current, coal surface mining concern associated with: (1) active mining, (2) orphan lands, (3) reclaimed lands, and (4) active reclamation. Excellent results were achieved when comparing Skylab and aerial photographic interpretations of detailed surface mining features. Skylab photographs when combined with other data bases (e.g., census, agricultural land productivity, and transportation networks), provide a comprehensive, meaningful, and integrated view of major elements involved in the urbanization/encroachment process

Atlas of Wetlands in the Principal Coal Surface Mining Region of Western Kentucky

This atlas contains maps of wetlands and surface mining activity in the Western Kentucky Coal Field, and focuses on a 3960 km2 (1530 mi2) region where approximately 90 percent of surface mining in the Coal field occures. Some present and potential competition exists between surface coal mining and wetland protection. A wetland classification, based on the recent FWS classification, includes six types of palustrine systems and one each of riverine and laucstrine systems. Wetlands and surface mines are located on twenty-seven 7.5 minute USGS quadrangles that define the study region. A total of 460 km2 (177 mi2) of wetlands are identified. Approximately 84 percent are broad-leaved deciduous forested wetlands, mostly as periodically-flooded riparian hardwood forests along broad alluvial bottom-lands. Also, several significant persistent emergent wetlands, shrub-scrub wetlands, and needle-leaved deciduous forested wetlands (bald cypress swamps) are identified in the study region. Summaries of geology and coal mining, hydrology, water quality, wetland vegetation and unique fish and wildlife species are presented for each quadrangle. Effects of existing and potential future surface mining of coal on wetland structure, function, and value are discussed. Species lists for vegetation and fish and wildlife and recent water quality data for the study region are given in the Appendices