scope:

General obligations.

(a) Compliance. All underground coal mining and associated reclamation operations conducted on lands where any element of the operations is regulated by a State shall comply with the initial performance standards of this part according to the time schedule specified in § 710.11.

(1) For the purposes of this part, underground coal mining and associated reclamation operations mean a combination of surface operations and underground operations. Surface operations include construction, use, and reclamation of new and existing access and haul roads, aboveground repair areas, storage areas, processing areas, shipping areas, and areas upon which are sited support facilities including hoist and ventilating ducts, and on which materials incident to underground mining operations are placed. Underground operations include underground construction, operation, and reclamation of shafts, adits, underground support facilities, underground mining, hauling, storage, and blasting.