Environmental Considerations in Energy Production

558 Pages·2013·43.63 MB·English

by  Craynon

ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSIDERATIONS
IN ENERGY PRODUCTION
EDITED BY JOHN R. CRAYNON
Published by the
Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
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ISBN 978-0-87335-380-9
Ebook 978-0-87335-381-6
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ii
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
Preface
The Environmental Considerations in Energy why particular comments were not accepted. As
Production symposium provides an avenue for the editor, I had the final say as to whether the
researchers to present their reviews and findings author’s rationale was adequate or whether fur-
for a wide variety of topics on how coal mining, ther changes were necessary.
oil and gas production, electricity generation, and I extend my thanks to Brad Kelley and Rita
other related activities impact the environment Caldwell of the Virginia Center for Coal and
and the communities in which we live and work. Energy Research for their critical assistance in
This proceedings volume contains not only editing and compiling the papers in this volume.
complete papers, but also abstracts for presenta- The SME staff was also of immense and essential
tions where the presenters do not feel that a full assistance in pulling this work together. Michael
paper is currently warranted. These abstracts are Karmis provided wise and experienced oversight
included to provide a resource to readers who of this effort, and I am honored to learn from and
may be interested in contacting those individu- work with him.
als. It is hoped this book will give you a flavor To the nearly 100 brave souls, both long-
of the breadth and depth of this symposium time professional colleagues and respected new
and the topics that come under the umbrella of acquaintances who provided peer reviews, I give
such a meeting. The papers and presentations my humble gratitude. Your dedication and time
range from reviews of work previously completed showed in the thoughtful and thorough reviews
and discussions of preliminary investigations to you provided. Through your efforts, we together
thorough reports of research and recommended continue to advance science and engineering to
changes in how things are done. address real and sometimes difficult challenges.
The full papers in this volume (not the And finally, to the authors and presenters
abstracts) were subjected to a double-blind of the works contained herein, I give my hearty
peer-review process, wherein neither the review- congratulations for a job well done. It has been
ers nor authors were identified. Each paper was a privilege to work with each of you and to read
reviewed by at least two experts in the fields of these papers and abstracts. I am encouraged that,
work related to the topic. After the reviewer com- as a society, we can successfully address the issues
ments were received, authors were provided with we face in energy production as a result of your
those remarks to make changes to their papers. work.
Authors were encouraged to accept reviewer
comments but were also given the opportunity to John R. Craynon
disagree with the reviewers and provide reasons Editor
vii
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
Contents
Preface ............................................................................... vii
1.1
WATERSHEDS
Water Quality and Appalachian Mining: Analysis of Watershed-Based Conclusions ............. 2
A Value of Information Study Examining the Effectiveness of Spatial Datasets for
Modeling Landscape to Water Quality Relationships .................................... 3
Water Quality Permitting Under Managed Discharge......................................... 4
Scenario Analysis and the Watershed Futures Planner: Predicting Future Aquatic
Conditions in an Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed.............................. 5
The Mine Land Stewardship Initiative..................................................... 20
2.1
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS IN COAL PREPARATION AND
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Application of Electronic Sorting Technology for Reducing Environmental Impacts of
Coal Processing ................................................................... 22
Stabilization of Fine Coal Waste as an Alternative Disposal Technique ........................ 32
Application of a Pilot-Scale Plate Filter Press in Dewatering Coal Slurries..................... 42
Diesel Range Organics In Coal Preparation................................................ 51
Minimizing the Environmental Impacts of Coal Waste Disposal............................... 60
2.2
COMMUNITY WELL-BEING
Decision Tools for Integrating Sustainability Considerations in Large Capital Projects........... 78
The Mining Industry and Community Poverty Across Appalachia............................. 86
Edgework and Boundary Crossings: Assessing Foundations for Public Ecology in the
Appalachian Region................................................................ 99
Determinants of Local Community Acceptance of Energy Resources and Materials Mining..... 111
Ethics and Community Well-Being....................................................... 121
3.1
COAL, GAS, AND ENERGY PRODUCTION
Appalachian Coal: Past, Present, and Future ............................................. 124
Environmental Considerations and Operational Parameters of Underground
Coal Gasification.................................................................. 125
The Marcellus Shale Gas Play and the Gas Migration/Stray Gas Problem..................... 137
Experiences in Reservoir Model Calibration for Coal Bed Methane Production in
Deep Coal Seams in Russell County, Virginia ......................................... 140
Sustainable Degasification Strategies: A Case Study in the Qinshui Basin of China ............ 153
iii
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
iv Contents
3.2
PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENERGY PRODUCTION
Evaluation of Research Addressing Chronic Health in Coal-Dependent Communities in
Central Appalachia................................................................ 172
Comparison of Mortality Rates Between Appalachian Coal Mining Counties with
Non-Coal Mining.................................................................. 189
Population and Exposure Characteristics of Coal Mining and Non-Coal Mining Counties in
West Virginia..................................................................... 202
Inventory of Bacterial Impairments in Central Appalachia .................................. 214
Identification of Toxic Agents and Potential Exposure Routes to Appalachian
Coal Mining Communities.......................................................... 229
4.1
TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 1
Comparison of Groundwater Seepage Modeling in Conventional and Geomorphic
Valley Fill Design.................................................................. 246
Predicting Total Dissolved Solids Release from Overburden in Appalachian Coal Fields ........ 255
Natural Attenuation of TDS in Mountaintop Mines......................................... 265
Predicting TDS Release from Appalachian Mine Spoils..................................... 275
Long-Term Trends of Electrical Conductivity in Streams Flowing Out of Headwater
Valley Fills in Virginia.............................................................. 286
4.2
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS IN UNDERGROUND MINING
Event Tree Failure Mode Development for Mining Near Bodies of Water ..................... 288
Applications of Subsurface Subsidence Model to Study Longwall Subsidence
Influences on Overburden Hydrological System....................................... 297
Addressing the Effect of Sloping Terrain on Ground Movements Due to Underground Mining... 308
Application of Subsidence Prediction Methodologies for Sizing Barrier Pillars for
Stream Protection in Appalachia.................................................... 319
Preliminary Assessment of Factors Affecting Springs Undermined by Longwall Mines in
Pennsylvania..................................................................... 336
5.1
STREAM BIOTA IMPACTS
Methods for Evaluating the Effects of a Simulated Mine Effluent with Elevated Ionic
Concentration to Field Collected Benthic Macroinvertebrates.......................... 348
Exploring Benthic Impairment and Total Dissolved Solids in the Dumps Creek Watershed ...... 362
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Response to Total Dissolved Solids in Coal Mine Streams.......... 371
How Well Does Electrical Conductivity Predict Stream Impairment? ......................... 372
Evaluation of Current Measures of Aquatic Biological Integrity in the Central
Appalachian Coalfields: Efficacy and Implications..................................... 381
5.2
LANDFORMS AND GEOMORPHIC RECLAMATION
Sustainable Landform Construction on Coal Mining Operations That Require Valley Fills........ 396
Methodology for Geomorphic Landform Design of Valley Fills in Appalachia Surface
Mine Reclamation................................................................. 397
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
Contents v
Investigating Regional Design Parameters in the Design of West Virginia Valley Fills to
Support Application of Geomorphic Landform Design Principles........................ 405
Slope Stability Analysis of Geomorphic Landform Profiles Versus Approximate Original
Contour Applied to Valley Fill Designs................................................ 415
6.1
SELENIUM IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Subsurface Sequestration of Leached Waste-Rock Selenium in Reactive Ferrihydrite Beds..... 426
Selenium Concentrations and Solid-State Chemical Speciation in Black Shale
Associated with a West Virginia Coal Seam.......................................... 438
Selenium Treatment for Mine Water Discharge Compliance ................................ 443
Strategies for Remediation of Selenium-Laden Waters..................................... 450
Analysis of Low-Level Selenium in Coal Mine Discharges .................................. 451
6.2
STREAM RESTORATION
Natural Streams: Biological Effects of Natural Channel Design for Aquatic Habitat 
Restoration....................................................................... 454
Hydrologic Assessment of the Guy Cove Stream Restoration Project......................... 463
Guy Cove Stream Restoration Project: Recreating a Headwater Stream System on a
Head-of-Hollow Fill................................................................ 464
Leaf Litter Breakdown as a Functional Assessment Tool for Appalachian Coal Mine
Stream Restorations............................................................... 465
Substrate and Seeding Treatment Effects on Native Tree Establishment and Herbaceous
Cover on an Appalachian Coal Mine: First Growing Season Results ..................... 467
7.1
TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 2
Conductivity Sensor Accuracy and Temporal Stability: A Laboratory and Field Study........... 470
Screening-Level Specific Conductivity Testing of Drill Core Strata........................... 471
Field Data and Regulatory Aquatic Life Criteria............................................ 472
Chronic Toxicity Testing in Mining Influenced Streams of West Virginia ...................... 474
7.2
ENVIRONMENT, COAL MINING, AND SUSTAINABILITY
Surface Coal Mine Blasting Optimization and Mitigation of Environmental Impacts:
Mine to Fill....................................................................... 476
Production, Cost, and Environmental Impact of Loading Equipment in Surface Coal
Mining in Appalachia.............................................................. 490
NOx Emission of Equipment and Blasting Agents in Surface Coal Mining..................... 501
Micro-Hydroelectric Power Generation Utilizing Mine Drainage............................. 512
Minepool Geothermal in Pennsylvania ................................................... 520
Sustainability in Surface Coal Mine Operations: The Importance of Good
Geotechnical Design.............................................................. 529
Ethics in Energy Sustainability .......................................................... 530
Index................................................................................. 531
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
1.1
Watersheds
Water Quality and Appalachian Mining: Analysis of Watershed-Based
Conclusions 2
A Value of Information Study Examining the Effectiveness of Spatial Datasets for
Modeling Landscape to Water Quality Relationships 3
Water Quality Permitting Under Managed Discharge 4
Scenario Analysis and the Watershed Futures Planner: Predicting Future Aquatic
Conditions in an Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed 5
The Mine Land Stewardship Initiative 20
1
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
Water Quality and Appalachian Mining: Analysis of
Watershed-Based Conclusions
Steven Gardner
ECSI, LLC, Lexington, Kentucky
ABSTRACT Act, National Environmental Policy Act and the
Surface coal mining operations in central Environmental Justice.” These recent actions by
Appalachia are coming under increasing scrutiny the Corps and by the EPA have been challenged
and regulation as operators attempt to obtain per- in the federal courts because of their alleged fail-
mits for pollutant discharge or hollow fills. Well- ure to follow the notice and comment process in
publicized studies, such as those by Gregory Pond adopting rules and regulations.
and others, have raised questions about the long- This paper is a metastudy of the primary
term impact of Appalachian mining on aquatic research on which the EPA and others base their
life in mountain streams. Recent summary work evaluation of mining’s impact. The paper will
such as that by Palmer and others and the EPA’s evaluate the methodology and assumptions of
evaluation of mountaintop mining draw broad those studies with particular emphasis on how the
conclusions about mining’s impact on water extent of mining is characterized. For example,
quality, but the conclusions are based on stud- the paper will consider whether the mining at
ies with varied methodologies. The variation is issue was conducted before the adoption of the
particularly evident when the studies attempt to Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
quantify the extent of mining and other changes versus more modern, highly regulated mining. It
in land use. will also evaluate the extent to which other land
State regulatory authorities, the U. S. Army use patterns have been included for consideration.
Corps of Engineers, and the U. S. Environmental Finally, the studies will be evaluated regarding
Protection Agency are making critical deci- whether or how they included consideration of
sions on water discharge permits issued under the distinctive geological, geomorphological, and
Section 402 of the Clean Water Act and dredge biogeographical characteristics of the affected
and fill permits issued under Section 404 of the watersheds. The analysis in the proposed paper
Clean Water Act. In connection with evalua- will provide valuable insights and a framework for
tion of these permits, EPA and the Corps entered meaningful public comment when the regulatory
into a Memorandum of Understanding to con- actions under consideration are presented for the
duct “Enhanced Surface Coal Mining Pending notice and comment.
Permit Coordination Procedures.” The EPA also
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
issued an executive order, “Detailed Guidance:
Improving EPA Review of Appalachian Surface The author thanks W. Blaine Early III and Douglas
Coal Mining Operations under the Clean Water Mynear for their contributions to this paper.
2
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
A Value of Information Study Examining the Effectiveness of
Spatial Datasets for Modeling Landscape to Water Quality
Relationships
Michael P. Strager
Division of Resource Management, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
J. Todd Petty
West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
Paul Ziemkiewicz
West Virginia Water Research Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
ABSTRACT water relationship. Statistical models provided
A critical part of building landscape to water qual- a basis to evaluate the analyzed spatial data to
ity relationships involves the timely and accurate both water quality and benthic macro inverte-
mapping of landscape features at a scale, resolu- brate endpoints. The decision analysis approach
tion, and detail necessary to meet the modeling called “value of information” provided the theo-
needs. There are many imagery choices available retical framework for analyzing the problem and
to classify and map landscape features. Each tends matching a desired set of research questions to
to differ temporally, by positional accuracy, by the the needed inputs and classification approach.
attributes that can be derived, and by cost. As part The study provides a decision tree matrix for how
of our ongoing work to develop and maintain a best to assemble spatial data to match the research
regional spatial database for the ARIES project, questions being asked regarding the landscape to
our goal was to compare the utility of different receiving water interaction.
imagery and their potentially derived cover types
ACKOWLEDGMENT
in the statistical modeling for stream conditions.
We wanted to answer the question of which imag- This study was sponsored by the Appalachian
ery dataset and classes are most effective in statis- Research Initiative for Environmental Science
tically modeling stream conditions. We assessed (ARIES). The views, opinions and recommen-
the imagery inputs in terms of classes that can dations expressed herein are solely those of the
be obtained, cost to obtain end product, time to authors and do not imply any endorsement
acquire, final thematic map accuracy, goodness of by ARIES employees, other ARIES-affiliated
model fits, and the significance of input variable researchers or industrial members. Information
coefficients in a boosted regression tree model. about ARIES can be found at http://www.energy
The importance of asking the most appropriate .vt.edu/ARIES.
questions was critical to match the geospatial data The authors thank Aaron E. Maxwell for his
collection to describing the landscape to receiving contribution to this paper.
3
© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.
Water Quality Permitting Under Managed Discharge
P.F. Ziemkiewicz
West Virginia Water Research Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
ABSTRACT operations. As a result in order to bring a stream
The Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) recognizes into compliance with narrative standards, fur-
pollutants as either toxic or non-toxic. Non-toxic ther restriction of point sources is often the only
pollutants, while not hazardous to humans, may option exercised by the regulatory agencies. This
impair designated stream uses such as: fishery, approach often imposes significant burdens on
public water supply and recreation. Impairment the holders of ‘point source’ discharges and, since
is defined through numeric standards or narra- other development activities and abandoned
tive water quality standards. Narrative standards mines are often significant causes of impairment
such as the West Virginia Stream Condition it often fails to improve the stream’s condition.
Index (WVSCI) rely on the composition of the A process is needed that yields greater benefits
stream’s insect population to indicate stream to the stream. The challenge is finding a way to
health. These stream condition indices are then ensure regulatory compliance accountability and
assigned a critical value below which a stream is measurable environmental benefits.
deemed impaired. Regulatory agencies are faced This paper discusses a case study in which
with developing discharge limits for regulated a voluntary, managed program has maintained
discharges such that streams will not be impaired. stream water quality at predetermined levels
This normally involves estimating the effects of through modulation of point source discharge
a proposed discharge on stream water quality rates. Implications for other water quality chal-
then an estimation of how it will affect numeric lenges are discussed.
standards. Often the effect is estimated by deter-
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
mining the effect of maximum discharge load at
minimum stream flow. The CWA, however, only The author thanks R.G. McLusky for his contri-
regulates point source discharges from active bution to this paper.
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© 2013 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. All rights reserved.