293.37 Application for mining permit.

(1)

(a) No operator may engage in mining or reclamation at any mining site that is not covered by a mining permit and by written authorization to mine under s. 293.51 (3). Applications for mining permits shall be made in writing and in reproducible form to the department upon forms prepared and furnished by it and in such multiples as required by rule of the department. An application shall be made, and a mining permit obtained for each separate mining site. No application for surface mining at a site may be entertained by the department if within the previous 5 years the applicant, or a different person who had received a prospecting permit for the site had certified under s. 293.35 (1) that he or she would not subsequently make application for a permit to conduct surface mining at the site.

(b) If a person commences mining at a mining site which includes an abandoned site, plans for reclamation of the abandoned site, or the portion of the abandoned site which is included in the mining site, shall be included in its mining plan and reclamation plan.

(2) As a part of each application for a mining permit, the applicant shall furnish:

(a) A mining plan, including a description and a detailed map of the proposed mining site drawn to a scale approved by the department. Aerial photographs may be accepted if the photographs show the details to the satisfaction of the department. The map, plan, or photograph shall be prepared and certified by a competent engineer, licensed professional surveyor, or other person approved by the department, and shall show the boundaries of the area of land which will be affected; the drainage area above and below the area; the location and names of all streams, roads, railroads, pipelines, and utility lines on or within 1,000 feet of the site; the name of the owner or owners of the site; the name of the city, village, or town in which the site is located; and the name of any other city, village, or town if within 3 miles of the site. The map or photograph shall be accompanied by descriptive data as required by the department, including but not limited to the soil conservation service soil capabilities classifications of the affected area, the anticipated geometry of the excavation, the estimated total production of tailings produced, the nature and depth of the overburden, the elevation of the water table, and such other information about the geology of the deposit as the department, after consultation with the geological and natural history survey, finds is necessary to evaluate the applicant's mining plan and reclamation plan.

(b) In addition to the information and maps otherwise required by this subsection, a detailed reclamation plan showing the manner, location and time for reclamation, including ongoing reclamation during mining, of the proposed mining site. The reclamation plan shall be accompanied by a map subject to the requirements in par. (a) which shall show the specific reclamation proposal for each area of the site. The reclamation plan shall conform to any applicable comprehensive plan created under sub. (4) (b), and to any applicable minimum standard created under ss. 293.13 (2) and 293.35 (2) and (3).

(c) The name and address of each owner of land within the mining site and each person known by the applicant to hold any option or lease on land within the mining site and all prospecting and mining permits in this state held by the applicant.

(d) Evidence satisfactory to the department that the applicant has applied for necessary approvals and permits under all applicable zoning ordinances and that the operator has applied for the necessary approval, licenses or permits required by the department including, but not limited to, those under chs. 30, 31, 107, 280 to 285, 289 to 292, 295 and 299 and this chapter.

(e)

1. The information specified in subd. 2. concerning the occurrence of any of the following within 10 years before the application is submitted:

a. A forfeiture by the applicant, principal shareholder of the applicant or a related person of a mining reclamation bond that was sufficient to cover all costs of reclamation and was posted in accordance with a permit or other approval for a mining operation in the United States, unless the forfeiture was by agreement with the entity for whose benefit the bond was posted.

b. A felony conviction of the applicant, a related person or an officer or director of the applicant for a violation of a law for the protection of the natural environment arising out of the operation of a mining site in the United States.

c. The bankruptcy or dissolution of the applicant or a related person that resulted in the failure to reclaim a mining site in the United States in violation of a state or federal law.

d. The permanent revocation of a mining permit or other mining approval issued to the applicant or a related person if the permit or other mining approval was revoked because of a failure to reclaim a mining site in the United States in violation of state or federal law.

2. The applicant shall specify the name and address of the person involved in and the date and location of each occurrence described in subd. 1.

(f) Information relating to whether unsuitability may exist for surface mining to the extent not fully considered under s. 293.45.

(g) A description of any land contiguous to the proposed mining site which he or she owns, leases or has an option to purchase or lease.

(h) Such other pertinent information as the department requires.

(3)

(a) A reclamation plan shall accompany all applications for mining permits. If it is physically or economically impracticable or environmentally or socially undesirable for the reclamation process to return the affected area to its original state, the plan shall set forth the reasons therefor and shall discuss alternative conditions and uses to which the affected area can be put.

(b) The reclamation plan shall specify how the applicant intends to accomplish, to the fullest extent possible, compliance with the minimum standards under s. 293.13 (2) (c).

(4)

(a) The department shall require an applicant for a mining permit, amended mining permit or change in either the mining or reclamation plan to furnish, as part of the mining permit application, an itemized statement showing the applicant's estimation of the cost to the state of reclamation. The department may, at the applicant's expense, contract with an independent person to estimate the cost to the state of reclamation if it has reason to believe that the applicant's estimated cost of reclamation may not be accurate.

(b) If the department finds that the anticipated life and total area of a nonferrous metallic mineral deposit are of sufficient magnitude that reclamation of the mining site consistent with this chapter requires a comprehensive plan for the entire affected area, it shall require an operator to submit with the application for a mining permit, amended mining site or change in mining or reclamation plan, a comprehensive long-term plan showing, in detail satisfactory to the department, the manner, location and time for reclamation of the entire area of contiguous land which will be affected by mining and which is owned, leased or under option for purchase or lease by the operator at the time of application. Where a nonferrous metallic mineral deposit lies on or under the lands of more than one operator, the department shall require the operators to submit mutually consistent comprehensive plans.

(5) If the department requires an applicant for a mining permit to conduct engineering and hydrologic modeling to assess a mining waste site's performance relative to compliance with applicable groundwater quality standards and surface water quality standards, the department may not require the applicant to examine a period longer than the period in which the mining waste site is proposed to operate plus 250 years after closure of the mining waste site.

History: 1995 a. 227 s. 770, 772, 774, 775, 776, 994; 1997 a. 169; 2013 a. 1, 358; 2017 a. 134.