Requires coal mine operators to submit to MSHA annual reports and certification on refuse piles and impoundments and to keep records of the results of weekly examinations and instrumentation monitoring. Impoundments are structures that can impound water, sediment, or slurry or any combination of materials; and refuse piles are deposits of coal mine waste (other than overburden or spoil) that are removed during mining operations or separated from mined coal and deposited on the surface. The failure of these structures can have a devastating affect on a community. To avoid or minimize such disasters, standards have been promulgated for the design, construction, and maintenance of these structures; for annual certifications; for certification for hazardous refuse piles; for the frequency of inspections; and the methods of abandonment for impoundments and impounding structures.
US Code:
30 USC 813(h)
Name of Law: Federal Mine Safety & Health of 1977
US Code:
30 USC 811
Name of Law: Federal Mine Safety & Health of 1977
MSHA records show a slight increase in the number of respondents from 629 to 632. The number of active impoundments increased due to an industry effort to keeping existing facilities in operation longer by increasing the elevation and capacity for refuse disposal at impoundments rather than developing new sites because of the relative scarcity of suitable locations.
There was a decrease in the number of impoundment plans.
The number of responses overall increased by 49 (from 31,365 to 31,414), and consequently, burden hours increased by 222 (from 76,572 to 76,794). These increases in responses and burden hours are due to the slight increase in the number of active impoundments and the associated increase in the number of inspections for these impoundments.
This burden estimate also continues to recognize that contract engineering firms perform 95 percent of the engineering work associated with impoundments and refuse piles. MSHA assesses a decrease of $1,422,343 (from $3,456,928 to $2,034,585) in burden cost due to the decrease in impoundment plans.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
MSHA-2017-0018-0001.pdf
1219-0015 Supporting Statement 1-2018.doc
Refuse Piles and Impounding Structures--Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements