Section 240.1200  Applicability

The provisions of this Subpart apply to wells and drill holes other than oil or gas production wells, Class II UIC wells covered by Subparts B and C, Gas Storage and Service wells covered by Subparts R and S. This Subpart applies to the following types of wells or drill holes:

a)         Coal or Mineral Groundwater Monitoring Well:  a well drilled to monitor groundwater conditions in coal or mineral mining projects.  A permit under this Subpart is not required in areas covered by a permit issued by the Department under the Surface-Mined Land Conservation and Reclamation Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 96 1/2, par. 4501 et seq.) [225 ILCS 715] and the Surface Coal Mining Land Conservation and Reclamation Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 96 1/2, par. 7901.01 et seq.) [225 ILCS 720].

b)         Structure Test Hole:  a hole drilled to evaluate the geologic nature of underlying strata for use in an oil and gas, gas storage or mining project.  A permit under this Subpart is not required for holes which do not penetrate bedrock or for seismograph shot holes or for holes located in areas covered by a permit issued by the Department under the Surface-Mined Land Conservation and Reclamation Act and the Surface Coal Mining Land Conservation and Reclamation Act.

c)         Coal Test Hole:  a hole drilled to test for the presence, quality or quantity of coal.  Coal strip mine overburden blast holes do not require a permit.

d)         Mineral Test Hole:  a hole drilled to test for the presence, quality or quantity of minerals including metallics, fluorspar, shale, limestone and sandstone or any other mineral which will be mined or quarried, excluding unconsolidated sand and gravel.  Mineral test holes which do not penetrate bedrock do not require a permit under this Subpart.  Quarry drill holes drilled on property owned by and contiguous to any established quarry do not require a permit.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 8061, effective May 13, 1994)