AB426-ASA2,12,421 (i) No later than 30 days after it issues the scoping decision, the department
22shall submit to the person who submitted the environmental impact report a draft
23cost agreement. The agreement shall include the estimated cost of preparing the
24environmental impact statement and a brief description of the tasks and the cost of
25each task to be performed by each party in preparing and distributing the

1environmental impact statement. The person may request changes in the cost
2agreement. If, within 30 days after the person receives the draft cost agreement, the
3department and the person have not signed a cost agreement, either party may refer
4the matter to the secretary of administration for resolution.
AB426-ASA2,12,75 (im) No later than 10 days after finalizing the cost agreement under par. (i), the
6person entering into the cost agreement with the department shall pay to the
7department 50 percent of the estimated costs under the cost agreement.
AB426-ASA2,12,118 (j) No later than 45 days after receiving the payment under par. (im), the
9department shall publish a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, in at least one newspaper
10of general circulation in each county where the project will occur and in the official
11state newspaper, containing a summary of the scoping decision.
AB426-ASA2,13,512 (k) After the department publishes the notice under par. (j), the department
13shall prepare a preliminary environmental impact statement for the proposed
14ferrous mining project in accordance with the scoping decision. When the
15preliminary environmental impact statement is complete, the department shall
16make it available for public review and comment and shall publish a class 1 notice,
17under ch. 985, of completion of the preliminary environmental impact statement, of
18the ability to comment on the preliminary environmental impact statement, and of
19the date, time, and place of the public meeting under par. (L) in at least one
20newspaper of general circulation in each county where the project will occur and in
21the official state newspaper. The department shall also distribute a summary of the
22preliminary environmental impact statement and notice of the date, time, and place
23of the meeting under par. (L) to the person who submitted the environmental impact
24report, the U.S. army corps of engineers, the federal environmental protection
25agency, the U.S. fish and wildlife service, the state historical society, any federally

1recognized American Indian tribe or band that may be affected by the proposed
2project, any local governmental unit in which the project will take place, any person
3that submitted substantive comments within the comment period on the
4environmental impact report and the draft scoping statement, and any person
5requesting the summary.
AB426-ASA2,13,116 (L) Not less than 15 days after publication of the notice under par. (k), the
7department shall conduct a public informational meeting on the adequacy of the
8preliminary environmental impact statement in a county in which at least part of the
9proposed mining site is located. The department shall receive public comments on
10the adequacy of the preliminary environmental impact statement for at least 10 days
11after the day on which it conducts the public informational meeting.
AB426-ASA2,14,212 (m) The department shall prepare a final environmental impact statement,
13taking into consideration the comments received under par. (L). When the final
14environmental impact statement is complete, the department shall make it available
15for public review and comment and shall publish a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, of
16completion of the final environmental impact statement, of the ability to submit
17written comments on the final environmental impact statement, and of the date by
18which comments must be submitted, in at least one newspaper of general circulation
19in each county where the project will occur and in the official state newspaper. The
20department shall also distribute a summary of the final environmental impact
21statement to the person who submitted the environmental impact report, the U.S.
22army corps of engineers, the federal environmental protection agency, the U.S. fish
23and wildlife service, the state historical society, any federally recognized American
24Indian tribe or band that may be affected by the proposed project, any local
25governmental unit in which the project will take place, any person that submitted

1substantive comments within the comment period on the preliminary environmental
2impact statement, and any person requesting the summary.
AB426-ASA2,14,113 (n) The department shall accept written comments on the adequacy of the final
4environmental impact statement for at least 10 days after the day on which the notice
5under par. (m) is published. The department shall make the determination of
6adequacy of the final environmental impact statement at least 10 days after
7publication of the notice of availability of the final environmental impact statement.
8The department shall make the determination of adequacy of the final
9environmental impact statement within 280 days after publication of the notice
10under par. (j) unless the time is extended by consent of the person submitting the
11environmental impact report or by the governor for good cause.
AB426-ASA2,15,212 (o) If the department determines that the environmental impact statement is
13inadequate, the department shall prepare an adequate environmental impact
14statement within 60 days of that determination. When the adequate environmental
15impact statement is complete, the department shall publish a class 1 notice, under
16ch. 985, of completion of the environmental impact statement in at least one
17newspaper of general circulation in each county where the project will occur and in
18the official state newspaper. The department shall also distribute a summary of the
19adequate environmental impact statement to the person who submitted the
20environmental impact report, the U.S. army corps of engineers, the federal
21environmental protection agency, the U.S. fish and wildlife service, the state
22historical society, any federally recognized American Indian tribe or band that may
23be affected by the proposed project, any local governmental unit in which the project
24will take place, any person that submitted substantive comments within the

1comment period on the previous version of the environmental impact statement, and
2any person requesting the summary.
AB426-ASA2,15,5 3(5) (a) The department may not issue a mining permit or any other approval
4required in connection with a ferrous mining project before it determines that the
5environmental impact statement for the project is adequate.
AB426-ASA2,15,106 (b) Within 90 days after the determination of adequacy of a final environmental
7impact statement, the department shall make final decisions on those approvals that
8were identified as required in the scoping process and for which information was
9developed concurrently with the preparation of the environmental impact
10statement, except as follows:
AB426-ASA2,15,1211 1. The department may extend the 90-day period with the consent of the
12applicant.
AB426-ASA2,15,1413 2. The 90-day period does not apply if a longer period is required for an
14approval by federal law or state statute.
AB426-ASA2, s. 13 15Section 13. 293.49 (1) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB426-ASA2,15,2316 293.49 (1) (a) 3. In the case of a surface mine, the site is not unsuitable for
17mining. The preliminary determination that a site was not unsuitable for mining
18under s. 293.45 may not be conclusive in the determination of the site's suitability
19for mining under this section. However, for mining other than ferrous mining, at the
20hearing held under this section and s. 293.43, testimony and evidence submitted at
21the prospecting permit proceeding relevant to the issue of suitability of the proposed
22mining site for surface mining may be adopted, subject to the opportunity for
23cross-examination and rebuttal, if not unduly repetitious.
AB426-ASA2, s. 14 24Section 14. 293.495 of the statutes is created to read:
AB426-ASA2,16,2
1293.495 Process for ferrous mining. (1) Applicability of other provisions.
2The following provisions do not apply to proposed ferrous mining projects:
AB426-ASA2,16,33 (a) Section 293.31.
AB426-ASA2,16,44 (b) Section 293.37 (2) (d).
AB426-ASA2,16,55 (c) Section 293.43.
AB426-ASA2,16,66 (d) The time limit in s. 293.49 (1) (a) (intro.) and (2) (intro.).
AB426-ASA2,16,77 (e) Section 293.49 (1) (a) 2.
AB426-ASA2,16,88 (f) Section 293.55 (1) (c) to (e).
AB426-ASA2,16,109 (g) The authority in s. 293.65 (2) (h) to conduct a hearing on a permit under s.
10293.65 as part of the hearing on the application for a mining permit.
AB426-ASA2,16,1111 (h) Section 293.65 (2) (i).
AB426-ASA2,16,16 12(2) Notice of intent. At least 12 months before submitting an application for
13a mining permit under s. 293.37 or an environmental impact report under s. 293.39
14(4) (a), whichever is earlier, a person proposing to engage in ferrous mining shall
15notify the department in writing of the intent to submit an application for a mining
16permit.
AB426-ASA2,16,25 17(3) Determination of completeness. After the department receives an
18application for a mining permit under s. 293.37 for ferrous mining, the department
19shall determine whether the application is complete. The department shall make the
20determination within 30 days after receiving the application, except that the
21department may extend the 30-day period with the consent of the applicant. If the
22department determines that the application is not complete, the department shall
23inform the applicant of the additional information that must be provided to complete
24the application. When the department determines that the application is complete,
25it shall notify the applicant.
AB426-ASA2,17,7
1(4) Notice of application. After receiving notice under sub. (3) that the
2application for a mining permit is complete, an applicant proposing to engage in
3ferrous mining shall publish a legal notice, under ch. 985, of the ownership, location,
4and boundaries of the proposed mining area and reclamation and restoration
5operations, at least once a week for 4 successive weeks. Within 7 days of publication
6of the last date of publication, the person shall submit a copy of the notice to the
7department.
AB426-ASA2,17,10 8(5) Hearing. (a) No later than 30 days after the day of publication of the last
9notice required under sub. (4), any of the following may file written objections to an
10application for a permit under s. 293.37 for a ferrous mining project:
AB426-ASA2,17,1211 1. A person owning property that will be affected by the proposed ferrous
12mining operation.
AB426-ASA2,17,1413 2. Any federal, state, or local governmental agency with responsibilities
14affected by the proposed ferrous mining operation.
AB426-ASA2,17,1915 (b) If the department receives written objections under par. (a), the department
16shall hold a public hearing on the mining permit application in the county in which
17the majority of the mining site is located no more than 30 days after receiving the
18objections, after providing appropriate notice of the date, time, and place of the
19hearing.
AB426-ASA2,17,2320 (c) The department may hold a hearing on an application for a mining permit
21under s. 293.37 for ferrous mining without receipt of objections no later than 30 days
22after the day of publication of the last notice required under sub. (4) if the department
23determines that a hearing is necessary to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
AB426-ASA2,18,2 24(6) Action on application. If s. 293.39 (5) (a) does not apply, no later than 120
25days after receiving the notice of publication under sub. (4) or, if the department

1holds a hearing under sub. (5), after holding the hearing, the department shall issue
2or deny the mining permit.
AB426-ASA2, s. 15 3Section 15. 293.51 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB426-ASA2,18,84 293.51 (3) Upon approval of the operator's bond, mining application, other
5departmental approvals that are required in connection with the mining project,
and
6certificate of insurance, the department shall issue written authorization to
7commence mining at the permitted mining site in accordance with the approved
8mining and reclamation plans.
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