Abandoned Mine Lands Geotechnical Investigation

The State of West Virginia, Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation, issued open-ended Purchase Orders (DEP14999 & 15000) for geotechnical and subsurface investigation (drilling) services throughout West Virginia (northern and southern counties respectively). The field and laboratory services performed under these contracts culminated in the development of investigation reports to support the DEP’s AML program.

The WVDEP is mandated by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Public Law 95-87, to reclaim lands and water affected by coal mining that imposes social and economic costs on residents, impair environmental quality, prevent or damage the beneficial use of land or water resources or endanger the health and safety of the public. NGE’s services supported the DEP in this mission.

Over the course of the one-year contracts and two additional one-year extensions, the WVDEP retained NGE to help evaluate environmental problems such as subsidence, landslides, refuse piles, mine and refuse pile fires, open mine shafts, highwalls, strip pits and other problems associated with abandoned mine lands. The level of effort required for subsurface investigations, testing and analysis varied depending upon the individual work directives; NGE received a total of 29 work directives under these contracts (Purchase Orders). The typical services provided included surface and subsurface investigations, testing (field and laboratory), and reporting of investigation and test results for use by the DEPs’ in-house design personnel.