§ 130A-309.222.  Closure of projects using coal combustion products for structural fill.

(a) Closure of Structural Fill Projects. -

(1) No later than 30 working days or 60 calendar days, whichever is less, after coal combustion product placement has ceased, the final cover shall be applied over the coal combustion product placement area.

(2) The final surface of the structural fill shall be graded and provided with drainage systems that do all of the following:

a. Minimize erosion of cover materials.

b. Promote drainage of area precipitation, minimize infiltration, and prevent ponding of surface water on the structural fill.

(3) Other erosion control measures, such as temporary mulching, seeding, or silt barriers shall be installed to ensure no visible coal combustion product migration to adjacent properties until the beneficial end use of the project is realized.

(4) The constructor or operator shall submit a certification to the Department signed and sealed by a registered professional engineer or signed by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation or the Secretary's designee certifying that all requirements of this Subpart have been met. The report shall be submitted within 30 days of application of the final cover.

(b) Additional Closure and Post-Closure Requirements for Large Structural Fill Projects. - For projects involving placement of 8,000 or more tons of coal combustion products per acre or 80,000 or more tons of coal combustion products in total per project, a constructor or operator shall conduct post-closure care. Post-closure care shall be conducted for 30 years, which period may be increased by the Department upon a determination that a longer period is necessary to protect public health, safety, and welfare; the environment; and natural resources, or decreased upon a determination that a shorter period is sufficient to protect public health, safety, and welfare; the environment; and natural resources. Additional closure and post-closure requirements include, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) Submit a written closure plan that includes all of the following:

a. A description of the cap liner system and the methods and procedures used to install the cap that conforms to the requirement in G.S. 130A-309.220(b).

b. An estimate of the largest area of the structural fill project ever requiring the cap liner system at any time during the overall construction period that is consistent with the drawings prepared for the structural fill.

c. An estimate of the maximum inventory of coal combustion products ever on-site over the construction duration of the structural fill.

d. A schedule for completing all activities necessary to satisfy the closure criteria set forth in this section.

(2) Submit a written post-closure plan that includes all of the following:

a. A description of the monitoring and maintenance activities required for the project and the frequency at which these activities must be performed.

b. The name, address, and telephone number of the person or office responsible for the project during the post-closure period.

c. A description of the planned uses of the property during the post-closure period. Post-closure use of the property must not disturb the integrity of the cap system, base liner system, or any other components of the containment system or the function of the monitoring systems, unless necessary to comply with the requirements of this subsection. The Department may approve disturbance if the constructor or operator demonstrates that disturbance of the cap system, base liner system, or other component of the containment system will not increase the potential threat to public health, safety, and welfare; the environment; and natural resources.

d. The cost estimate for post-closure activities required under this section.

(3) Maintain the integrity and effectiveness of any cap system, including repairing the system as necessary to correct the defects of settlement, subsidence, erosion, or other events and preventing run-on and runoff from eroding or otherwise damaging the cap system.

(4) Maintain and operate the leachate collection system. The Department may allow the constructor or operator to stop managing leachate upon a satisfactory demonstration that leachate from the project no longer poses a threat to human health and the environment.

(5) Monitor and maintain the groundwater monitoring system in accordance with G.S. 130A-309.220 and monitor the surface water in accordance with 15A NCAC 13B .0602.

(c) Completion of Post-Closure Care. - Following completion of the post-closure care period, the constructor or operator shall submit a certification, signed by a registered professional engineer, to the Department, verifying that post-closure care has been completed in accordance with the post-closure plan, and include the certification in the operating record. (2014-122, s. 3(a).)