Environmental Considerations in Energy Production

by John R Craynon

Overview

Environmental Considerations in Energy Production contains submissions by energy professionals from around the world who discuss a wide selection of topics on energy production, including coal mining, oil and gas production, and electrical power generation, as well as the impacts on society and the environment. The papers present existing and emerging issues, best practices and techniques, and appropriate and innovative solutions to meet the present and future challenges of energy production.

These proceedings contain both complete papers as well as abstracts where a full paper was not warranted. The abstracts are included as a resource to readers who may be interested in contacting those individuals.

The papers range from reviews of work previously completed and discussions of preliminary investigations to thorough reports of research and recommended changes in methodologies and procedures.

The issues presented show how the environmental impacts of energy production affect community well-being and human health.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780873353809
Publisher:	Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
Publication date:	04/15/2013
Pages:	552
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.20(d)

Table of 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 Weil-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

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

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-HollowFill 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