ASTM D7629/D7629M-10
Standard Practice for Minimum Geospatial Data for Representing Coal Spoil and Refuse Features
- Standard No.
- ASTM D7629/D7629M-10
- Release Date
- 2010
- Published By
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
- Status
- 2013-01
- Latest
- ASTM D7629/D7629M-10
- Replace By
- D7780
- Scope
Failures associated with coal refuse structures have resulted in loss of life, destruction of property, and extensive environmental damage. Notable examples include the 1972 failure of a slurry impoundment on Buffalo Creek in Southern West Virginia that killed 125 people and rendered over 4,000 people homeless. In 2001, an impoundment near Inez, Kentucky broke through underground mine passages, releasing approximately 250 million gallons of slurry into adjacent waterways, causing extensive damage to property and habitat along 75 miles of streams.
Surface mining in steep slope areas has created thousands of valley fills, burying hundreds of miles of ephemeral and intermittent streams. Scientific studies have suggested additional negative impacts on downstream aquatic habitat resulting from this practice.
Federal regulation does not provide explicitly for compilation of standardized databases that would facilitate monitoring and analysis of mining activity at regional or national levels. This standard addresses the need for a national database which can serve as a starting point for inquires and analysis related to the locations of mining fill structures, their relative abundance, and spatial pattern.
Within its area of exclusive jurisdiction, each RA is the ADS for coal mining spatial data that it creates and uses to regulate mining activity.
This geospatial data standard will help ensure uniformity of data contributed by each RA and assist organizations in efforts to create, utilize, and share geospatial data relative to SMCRA and it will lead to better communication between state, tribal, and federal regulatory offices, the public, and industry.
Limitations of Use8212;Uses of the national dataset are limited by several factors affecting the accuracy, currentness, and completeness of various data sources.
Completeness8212;Participation in the compilation of spatial data is not uniform across RAs, which may affect completeness, both in terms of spatial data and associated attributes. For some RAs, this standard may not be applicable because features described herein do not occur within their area of responsibility.
Currency8212;Source data is subject to change as a result of regulatory actions that may change the geographical location, extent, or attributes of particular features which may not be reflected in the national dataset. If detailed information is needed for individual features, the appropriate RA should be contacted for additional information.
Data compiled in accordance with this standard is not intended to be used as a primary source for evaluating risk or safety.
Data compiled in accordance with this standard is intended for informative purposes; it is not authoritative. The data is not a direct product of survey and has no standing as a legal document.
This standard conforms to the definition of a Data Content Standard as promulgated by the U.S. Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) (See ANSI INCITS 61-1986 (R2002), ANSI INCITS 320-1998 (R2003), and Project 1574-D).
1.1 This practice defines a set of terms, procedures, and data elements required to develop a national spatial dataset of features associated with excess spoil and refuse materials produced by coal mining operations. These features include excess spoil structures, coal preparation plants, and coal refuse structures.
1.1.1 Excess Spoil Structures8212;are created when the total spoil produced during mining exceeds the volume of material that can be utilized for reclamation. This occurrence is common in steep slope areas, where the final grade of reclaimed slopes is limited by stability requirements. It also occur......
ASTM D7629/D7629M-10 Referenced Document
- ASTM D653 Standard Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained Fluids
ASTM D7629/D7629M-10 history
- 2010 ASTM D7629/D7629M-10 Standard Practice for Minimum Geospatial Data for Representing Coal Spoil and Refuse Features
