Special bituminous coal mines
Special bituminous coal mines means those mines in existence on January 1, 1972, or mines adjoining or having a common boundary with those mines for which development began after August 3, 1977, that are located in the State of Wyoming and that are being mined or will be mined according to the following criteria:
(a) Surface mining takes place on a relatively limited site for an extended period of time. The surface opening of the excavation is at least the full size of the excavation and has a continuous border.
(b) Excavation of the mine pit follows a coal seam that inclines 15° or more from the horizontal, and as the excavation proceeds downward it expands laterally to maintain stability of the pitwall or as necessary to accommodate the orderly expansion of the total mining operation.
(c) The amount of material removed from the pit is large in comparison to the surface area disturbed.
(d) There is no practicable alternative to the deep open-pit method of mining the coal.
(e) There is no practicable way to reclaim the land as required in subchapter K.
Source
30 CFR § 701.5
Scoping language
As used in this chapter, the following terms have the specified meanings, except where otherwise indicated: