Section 1816.61  Use of Explosives: General Requirements

a)         Each person who conducts surface mining activities shall comply with all applicable State and Federal laws in the use of explosives.

b)         All blasting operations shall be conducted by persons certified by the Department in accordance with 62 Ill. Adm. Code 1850.

c)         Blast design.

1)         An anticipated blast design shall be submitted if blasting operations will be conducted within:

A)        One thousand (1,000) feet of any building used as a dwelling, public building, school, church, or community or institutional building outside the permit area; or

B)        Five hundred (500) feet of an active or abandoned underground mine.

2)         The blast design may be presented as part of the permit application or at a time, before the blast, approved by the Department.

3)         The blast design shall contain sketches of the drill patterns, delay periods, and decking and shall indicate the type and amount of explosives to be used, critical dimensions, and the location and general description of structures to be protected, as well as a discussion of design factors to be used, which protect the public and meet the applicable air blast, flyrock, and ground vibration standards in Section 1816.67.

4)         The blast design shall be prepared and signed by a certified blaster.

(Source:  Amended at 11 Ill. Reg. 8131, effective July 1, 1987)