Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 50, December 14, 2024
Section 291.104 - Soils description(a) An application shall contain a description of the soils within the proposed permit area and adjacent area. The application shall include a description of the depth, matrix, color, texture, structure, pH, consistency, degree of mottling and, if present, mottled colors and coarse fragment content for each horizon of soil from the surface to bedrock. If required by the Department, the applicant shall base this description on a sufficient number of pits or excavations to allow an accurate characterization of the soils within the proposed permit area and adjacent area.(b) In preparing the soils description, the applicant shall use the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Classification System. The United States Department of Agriculture's Soil Classification System is published in "Soil Taxonomy" Agriculture Handbook #436 of the United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, and is available from the Department or the National Technical Center of the Soil Conservation Service, 160 E. 7th Street, Chester, Pennsylvania 19013-6092.(c) The application shall include a minimum of one background chemical analysis for soil in each field or soil series at the proposed facility for pH, phosphorus, cadmium, zinc, copper, nickel, lead, chromium, mercury and other constituents contained in the waste that may be leached into the environment, as determined under § 287.132 (relating to chemical analysis of waste), unless otherwise specified by the Department, in writing. The chemical analysis shall be based on a composite of samples from each field or soil series, unless otherwise required by the Department. The procedure for soil sampling and analysis shall be consistent with Department guidelines.(d) If residual waste was previously applied to the proposed permit area, the application shall also describe background concentrations for pH, phosphorus, cadmium, zinc, copper, nickel, lead, chromium, mercury and other constituents contained in the waste that may leach into the environment, as determined under § 287.132 for similar soils adjacent to the facility where residual waste has not been applied, unless otherwise required by the Department. Procedures for soil sampling and analysis shall be consistent with Department guidelines.(e) The information required by this section shall be prepared by experts in soil science.