*2.3. Land Reclamation of Western Macedonia Lignite Mines*

In Greece, all mining and quarrying activities operate according to the revised regulations determined in a ministerial decision amended in 2011. Moreover, mines and quarries have to meet quality standards and to apply preventive and mitigation measures that are described in numerous national laws and European directives [18].

Nevertheless, the main legal tool that regulates all environmental management decisions of a mining company is the environmental permit. The first permit referring to the mining activities at the western Macedonia lignite mining complex was signed in 2001, after a long period of negotiations with all the involved local and national authorities. Since then, additional permits have been signed for all mining operations, as well as for numerous auxiliary activities, such as the ash and asbestos cement disposal sites [18,19].

The main issue introduced by the permits is the implementation of a land reclamation programme according to specific guidelines dealing with waste heaps topography, landslides prevention, topsoil management, and reforestation [19]. Permits also refer to the costs of implementing the above-mentioned terms and conditions for the permitting period and until mine closure/rehabilitation (Table 1). This cost includes all the activities required for environmental management during mining operations and land reclamation according to the plans that have been approved by the authorities. In addition, to compensate the adverse impacts of lignite mining on the environment and on other sectors of the local economy, the mine operator pays a revenue bond, which corresponds to 0.5% of its turnover. The total amount of money that has been paid from PPC so far (2018) is ca. €260 million and has been distributed to the prefectures, where lignite mining activities exist, accordingly to the produced lignite quantities. The regional authorities have taken full responsibility for selecting and implementing the development projects that are financed by this bond [18,19].



The development of a progressive land reclamation plan, which will be implemented throughout the entire life of the lignite mines, is a critical part of a successful land management strategy. Land reclamation ensures that the post-mining landscape is safe and is stable from physical, geochemical, and ecological perspectives; the water quality is protected; and a reliable environmental quality monitoring system has been installed [20]. Land reclamation is based on the map of land uses (Figure 8), which is contained in the Environmental Impact Assessment study that has been approved by the Ministry of Environment [20,21]. This map is subject to modifications when the permits are expired (usually every 10 years) and a new environmental impact assessment study is elaborated. The revised map of land uses may incorporate modifications relevant to the planning of the mines as well as changes of the type and spatial distribution of land uses.

Up to now, 3700 ha of mine land have been reclaimed. The usual reclamation practices include the development of farming lands in horizontal areas on the top of the waste heaps, and the reforestation of the sloped surfaces of the heaps' margins. The cultivated land is rented to local farmers and is seeded with wheat. The yields achieved vary considerably from site to site but, in general, are comparable to these reported for crops developed in the surrounding areas [22]. However, a study conducted by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki showed that the development of agricultural activities in reclaimed mine lands cannot compensate for the job losses due to the mines' closure and power plants' decommissioning [23]. This situation does not change taking into account also the jobs related to honey and biomass production from reforested areas [24]. In this frame, for the near future, it is expected that PPC will continue the reforestation of sloped surfaces and the development of agricultural land in horizontal surfaces and, eventually, will start to construct photovoltaic parks in large horizontal plots of the waste heaps. Taking into account the topography of the pits and waste heaps and the hydrogeological conditions, it is estimated that 8% of the total area occupied by the mines will be covered by artificial lakes [21]. The remaining area can be used for livestock farming and reforestation, while 55% of this area is appropriate for agricultural activities and photovoltaic parks.

No matter what the development plans of PPC are and the commitments of the central government and regional authorities on the decarbonisation policies that will be applied in western Macedonia, the reclamation of the mine land is a legal obligation. In the following paragraphs, numerous arguments that prove the necessity of going with land reclamation one step further to land rehabilitation focused on the realisation of development programmes and innovative land uses that enhance the perspectives of the local economy are presented, among others.

**Figure 8.** Land uses in the western Macedonia Lignite Centre after the mine closure and the completion of the land reclamation programme prescribed in the environmental permits [21].
