Sec. 26.20.13.04. Face-Up Areas

A. The surface disturbance for the face-up area may not exceed 400 lineal feet along the seam to be mined.

B. The face-up area shall be prepared in such a manner that drainage from the face-up area will result in minimum erosion and sedimentation. The face-up area may not be located in an area where the original contour of the land, measured from the cropline of the seam to be mined to the estimated toe of the fill bench, exceeds 20 degrees from the horizontal, unless no fill bench is created and the spoil from the face-up area is disposed in a suitable disposal area.

C. The amount of overburden and the amount of coal to be removed from the face-up area shall be set forth in the plan.

D. Surface openings and accesses to underground workings shall be located to prevent gravity discharge of water from the mine, unless it is demonstrated that the untreated discharge will comply with the performance standards of COMAR 26.20.21.02F.