(a)
Vegetation shall be established on land affected by surface mining
activities.
(b) Revegetation shall
provide for a diverse, effective and permanent vegetative cover of the same
seasonal variety native to the area of land to be affected and capable of
self-regeneration and plant succession at least equal in extent of cover to the
natural vegetation of the area, except that introduced species may be used in
the revegetation process when desirable and necessary to achieve the approved
postmining land use plan. Vegetative cover shall be considered of the same
seasonal variety when it consists of a mixture of species of equal or superior
utility for the approved postmining land use, when compared with the utility of
naturally occurring vegetation during each season of the year.
(1) For areas previously disturbed by surface
mining activities that were not reclaimed to the standards of SMCRA and this
chapter, and are proposed to be reaffected or redisturbed, the Department may
approve a vegetative cover which, at a minimum, may not be less than the
vegetative cover existing before redisturbance and shall be adequate to control
erosion and achieve the approved postmining land use.
(2) For areas designated as prime farmland,
§§
87.177-
87.181 apply.
(c) Revegetation shall provide a
quick-germinating, fast-growing vegetative cover capable of stabilizing the
soil surface from erosion.
(d)
Revegetation shall be completed in compliance with the plans submitted under
§
87.68 (relating to reclamation
information) as approved by the Department in the permit and carried out in a
manner that encourages a prompt vegetative cover and recovery of productivity
levels compatible with the approved postmining land use.
Notes
The
provisions of this § 87.147 adopted December 19, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 4789,
effective 7/31/1982, 12 Pa.B.
2382; amended July 30, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 2473, effective
7/31/1982, 12 Pa.B. 2382;
amended May 8, 1998, effective 5/9/1998, 28 Pa.B.
2215.
This section cited in 25 Pa. Code §
86.151 (relating to period of
liability); 25 Pa. Code §
87.68 (relating to reclamation
information); 25 Pa. Code §
87.100 (relating to topsoil:
nutrients and soil amendments); 25 Pa. Code §
87.104 (relating to stream channel
diversions); 25 Pa. Code §
87.105 (relating to hydrologic
balance: diversions); 25 Pa. Code §
87.108 (relating to hydrologic
balance: sedimentation ponds); 25 Pa. Code §
87.138 (relating to protection of
fish, wildlife and related environmental values); 25 Pa. Code §
87.140 (relating to
contemporaneous reclamation); 25 Pa. Code §
87.150 (relating to revegetation:
agriculture crops); and 25 Pa. Code §
87.166 (relating to haul roads and
access roads: restoration).
