Toxicity analysis of coal mining industry NPDES discharges in Southwest Virginia

Abstract

Industrial toxicity has become a major environmental subject over the past decade. Although much research and data have been collected and published for the manufacturing type industries, minimal data is currently available concerning the possible toxics that may be associated with coal mining industry NPDES discharges. Thus, in this report, an environmental toxicity assessment with respective data shall be presented on the three major constituent sectors of the coal mining industry in Southwest Virginia of which includes mines, preparation plants and refuse facilities. The mines category shall include both surface and underground facilities. The preparation plants sector will cover the traditional railroad siding loadout type facilities, along with the modern clean coal processing preparation plants. Valley and side fill configuration, coarse and combined refuse fills and coal refuse impoundments shall be presented in the refuse facility categorization. Reference source data and specific information from a Virginia Coal Association Taxies Monitoring Program study are presented to show that the effects of toxicity in the coal mining associated NPDES effluents are minimal and not a serious problem. The conclusions of this report shall show that through enforcement of better management practices within the coal industry in Southwest Virginia that toxicity can be virtually eliminated in NPDES outfalls.