In 1997, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued Program Information Bulletin No. P97-4 on "Unintentional Release of Water or Slurry from Impoundments into Active or Abandoned Mines". This bulletin was issued due to such problems that had developed at existing coal waste disposal impoundments. The bulletin required that operators of coal refuse disposal impoundments examine the potential for such an occurrence at their sites and develop mitigative measures as appropriate.

In response to this new requirement, GA engineers developed the use of mine seal barriers, composed of both earthfill and coarse coal refuse, to be placed between the slurry impoundments and previously mined abutments. French drains installed within the coarse refuse barrier provide drainage to reduce hydrostatic pressures that could otherwise develop against the earthfill portion of the barriers. This technique has been successfully used at several sites to respond to the new MSHA requirement.