AB426,125,53 1. A bond, furnished by a surety company licensed to do business in this state,
4conditioned on faithful performance of all of the requirements of this subchapter and
5all rules adopted by the department under this subchapter.
AB426,125,66 2. Cash.
AB426,125,77 3. Certificates of deposit.
AB426,125,88 4. Government securities.
AB426,125,109 (b) The department shall pay to the operator interest received on certificates
10of deposit or government securities furnished under par. (a).
AB426,125,1911 (c) The operator shall furnish the security required under par. (a) in the amount
12equal to the estimated cost to the state of fulfilling the reclamation plan, other than
13the cost of long-term care of the mining waste site, in relation to the portion of the
14mining site that will be disturbed by the end of the following year. The department
15shall determine the estimated cost of reclamation of each mining site on the basis of
16relevant factors, including the character and nature of the lands to be reclaimed, the
17future suitable use of the land involved, the topography of the mining site, the
18methods of reclamation being employed, the depth and composition of overburden,
19and the depth of the ferrous mineral deposit being mined.
AB426,126,2 20(2) Certificate of insurance. The operator shall submit a certificate of
21insurance certifying that the applicant has in force a liability insurance policy issued
22by an insurer authorized to do business in this state or, in lieu of a certificate of
23insurance, evidence that the applicant has satisfied state or federal self-insurance
24requirements, covering all mining operations of the operator in this state and
25affording personal injury and property damage protection in a total amount

1determined to be adequate by the department but not more than $1,000,000 and not
2less than $50,000.
AB426,126,8 3(2m) Proof of financial responsibility for long-term care of mining waste
4site.
An operator shall maintain proof of financial responsibility ensuring the
5availability of funds for compliance with the long-term care requirements specified
6in the waste site feasibility study and plan of operation for a period of 40 years after
7closing of the mining waste site. The operator shall furnish the proof of financial
8responsibility to the department in one of the following forms:
AB426,126,99 (a) A bond
AB426,126,1010 (b) Cash.
AB426,126,1111 (c) Certificates of deposit.
AB426,126,1212 (d) Government securities.
AB426,126,1313 (e) Insurance.
AB426,126,18 14(3) Written authorization to mine. Upon approval of the operator's bonds or
15other security under subs. (1) and (2m), mining application, and certificate of
16insurance, the department shall issue written authorization to begin mining at the
17permitted mining site in accordance with the approved mining plan, reclamation
18plan, and mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation.
AB426,127,3 19(4) Reclamation bond for more than one mining site. Any operator who
20obtains mining permits from the department for 2 or more mining sites may elect,
21at the time that the mining permit for the 2nd or any subsequent mining site is
22approved, to post a single bond under sub. (1) in lieu of separate bonds for each
23mining site. An operator who chooses to post a single bond under this subsection
24shall post a bond in an amount equal to the estimated cost to the state determined
25under sub. (1) of reclaiming all mining sites the operator has under mining permits.

1When an operator elects to post a single bond in lieu of separate bonds previously
2posted on individual mining sites, the department may not release the separate
3bonds until the department accepts the new bond.
AB426,127,8 4(5) Review of amounts. If an operator disagrees with the amount of the bonds
5or other security that the department requires under this section, the operator may
6seek review under s. 295.77 of the amount required. The operator may post a bond
7or other security in the amount required by the department and begin mining
8without forfeiting its right to seek review.
AB426,127,9 9295.60 Impacts to wetlands. (1) Definitions. In this section:
AB426,127,1110 (a) "Area of special natural resource interest" has the meaning given in s.
11281.37 (1) (a).
AB426,127,1412 (b) "Artificial wetland" means a landscape feature where hydrophytic
13vegetation may be present as a result of human modifications to the landscape or
14hydrology and for which there is no prior wetland or stream history.
AB426,127,1715 (c) "ASNRI wetland" means a wetland that is within the boundary of an area
16of special natural resource interest or that is in close proximity to or that has a direct
17hydrologic connection to an area of special natural resource interest.
AB426,127,2118 (d) "Compensation" means the implementation of measures that will function
19to improve functional values of wetlands or other water quality functions to offset
20significant adverse impacts that remain after all practicable avoidance and
21minimization measures have been achieved.
AB426,127,2322 (e) "Federal compensatory mitigation requirement" means any mitigation
23requirement that is imposed by the federal government.
AB426,127,2524 (f) "Federal wetland" means a wetland that is not a nonfederal wetland and
25includes an ASNRI wetland.
AB426,128,2
1(g) "Functional values and water quality" means the water quality related
2wetland functional values and uses specified in sub. (6).
AB426,128,53 (h) "Impact" means a permanent, temporary, cumulative, secondary, direct or
4indirect result that is attributable to a discharge to which the wetland water quality
5standards apply.
AB426,128,76 (i) "Mitigation" means the restoration, enhancement, or creation of wetlands
7to offset significant adverse impacts to other wetlands.
AB426,128,118 (j) "Mitigation bank" means a system of accounting for wetland loss and
9mitigation that includes one or more sites where wetlands are restored, enhanced,
10or created to provide transferable credits to be subsequently applied to offset
11significant adverse impacts to other wetlands.
AB426,128,1312 (k) "Nonfederal wetland" has the meaning given in s. 281.36 (1) (c) and includes
13an ASNRI wetland.
AB426,128,1514 (L) "On-site location" means a location that is within one-half mile of an outer
15boundary of a mining site.
AB426,128,1816 (m) "Practicable" means available and capable of being implemented after
17taking into consideration cost, available technology, and logistics in light of the
18overall project purposes and the needs for bulk sampling or a mining operation.
AB426,128,2019 (n) "Riparian restoration project" means a project that will restore or enhance
20the natural beneficial uses and value of a watercourse.
AB426,128,2221 (o) "Water basin" means the Lake Michigan basin, the Lake Superior basin, or
22the Mississippi River basin or other water basin established by the department.
AB426,128,2423 (p) "Water management unit" means a subdivision of a water basin that is
24established on a hydrological basis by the department.
AB426,129,2
1(q) "Watershed" means an area of land where all of the water drains into a
2common waterway.
AB426,129,43 (r) "Wetland water quality standard" means a water quality standard specified
4under sub. (6).
AB426,129,7 5(2) Scope. This section applies to any water quality certification, or any other
6approval that involves an evaluation of impact to wetlands, that is associated with
7mining or bulk sampling.
AB426,129,19 8(3) Wetland determinations and delineations. For purposes of this section,
9wetland determinations and wetland boundary delineations shall be consistent with
10the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1987 Wetlands Delineation Manual and any final
11regional supplement to the manual. The department may rely on wetland
12determinations and wetland boundary delineations made by other agencies and
13consultants. If the applicant for a water quality certification or for any other
14approval for an activity involving impacts to wetlands has provided information to
15the department that is identified in the manual or any final regional supplement as
16being sufficient to make a wetland determination or a delineation of boundaries, the
17department may visit the site to conduct surveys or gather additional site-specific
18quantitative data provided that the department does not discontinue the processing
19of the application to do so.
AB426,130,2 20(4) Water quality certification for federal wetlands. (a) For purposes of
21issuing a water quality certification that is required pursuant to 33 USC 1341 (a) for
22a discharge associated with a mining operation or bulk sampling into a federal
23wetland or for issuing any other approval associated with a mining operation for an
24activity that involves any impact to a federal wetland, the department shall review

1the federal compensatory mitigation requirements proposed as part of the federal
2permit application.
AB426,130,143 (b) For purposes of determining whether to issue a water quality certification
4or other approval that requires an evaluation of impacts to federal wetlands, the
5department shall determine whether it has reasonable assurance that the federal
6permitting process and federal compensatory mitigation requirements will offset
7any significant adverse impact to the functional values and water quality of the
8federal wetland. For purposes of areas of special natural resource interest and
9federal wetlands that are ASNRI wetlands, the department shall determine that
10reasonable assurance exists if significant adverse impacts have been avoided or
11minimized to the extent practicable and any remaining significant adverse impacts
12are offset by compensation or mitigation. If the department determines that
13reasonable assurance exists, the department may not impose any additional
14conditions.
AB426,130,2115 (c) If the department determines that reasonable assurance does not exist
16under par. (b), it may impose conditions in the water quality certification or other
17approval if such conditions are limited to those that are necessary to offset any
18significant adverse impacts to the federal wetland that are not offset by the federal
19compensatory mitigation requirements in the federal permit or other approval. Any
20conditions imposed by the department shall permit a compensation and mitigation
21program as provided in sub. (8).
AB426,130,2422 (d) In imposing conditions under par. (c), the department may not increase the
23number of acres to be mitigated under the federal compensatory mitigation
24requirements that are applicable to the federal wetland.
AB426,131,4
1(e) The department shall issue a water quality certification under this
2subsection if the federal permitting process, including any federal compensatory
3mitigation requirement, offsets the significant adverse impacts to the functional
4values and water quality of the federal wetland.
AB426,131,8 5(5) Water quality certification for nonfederal wetlands. (a) Certification
6required.
No person may discharge dredge or fill material associated with a mining
7operation or bulk sampling into a nonfederal wetland unless the discharge is
8authorized under a water quality certification issued under this section.
AB426,131,189 (b) Avoidance or minimization of impacts. For purposes of issuing a water
10quality certification for a discharge subject to par. (a) or evaluating impacts to
11nonfederal wetlands for any approval requiring an evaluation of impacts to
12nonfederal wetlands, the department shall first determine whether any impact to
13the nonfederal wetland caused by the mining operation or bulk sampling can be
14avoided or minimized to the extent practicable. If the impacts have been avoided or
15minimized to the extent practicable, any remaining impacts to nonfederal wetlands
16or to areas of special natural resource interest may not be a basis for a denial of a
17water quality certification provided that any remaining significant adverse impacts
18are offset under a compensation and mitigation program under sub. (8).
AB426,131,2119 (c) Siting analysis. 1. An applicant for a water quality certification for a
20nonfederal wetland shall submit a siting analysis to the department for review. In
21reviewing the siting analysis, the department shall recognize all of the following:
AB426,131,2322 a. The limitations associated with the proposed location of the ferrous mineral
23deposits to be mined or associated with bulk sampling.
AB426,131,2524 b. The need for the mining waste sites and any processing facilities to be
25contiguous to the location of the ferrous mineral deposits to be mined.
AB426,132,1
1c. The presumption that nonfederal wetlands will be impacted.
AB426,132,42 2. The siting analysis shall be limited to an analysis of alternative
3configurations associated with the areas of the proposed ferrous mineral deposits to
4be mined at the mining site and with the areas that are contiguous to those deposits.
AB426,132,95 3. If it is impracticable to avoid an impact to, or the use of, a nonfederal wetland,
6the applicant shall identify in the siting analysis, and the department shall review,
7those configurations that would result in impacts to the fewest acres of nonfederal
8wetlands to the extent practicable. The department shall determine which
9configuration will minimize the impacts to the fewest acres.
AB426,132,1210 4. After the department makes the determination under subd. 3., the
11department shall evaluate the impact of the mining operation to the functional
12values and water quality of the nonfederal wetland.
AB426,132,16 13(5m) Evaluation of impacts. The department shall determine the impact of a
14proposed activity upon the functional values and water quality of a wetland by using
15wetland ecological evaluation methods jointly accepted by the U.S. Army Corps of
16Engineers and the department and appropriate to the affected wetland.
AB426,132,18 17(6) Wetland water quality standards. The following wetland water quality
18standards shall apply to any water quality certification under sub. (4) or (5):
AB426,132,2319 (a) Adverse impacts to the functional values and water quality of wetlands and
20adverse impacts to other waters of the state that are influenced by wetlands shall be
21minimized, and any significant adverse impacts remaining after minimization shall
22be subject to a compensation and mitigation program under sub. (8). For purposes
23of this section, functional values and uses consist of all of the following:
AB426,132,2524 1. Storm and flood water storage and retention and the moderation of water
25level fluctuation extremes.
AB426,133,3
12. Hydrologic functions including the maintenance of dry season streamflow,
2the discharge of groundwater to a wetland, the recharge of groundwater from a
3wetland to another area, and the flow of groundwater through a wetland.
AB426,133,54 3. Filtration or storage of sediments, nutrients, or toxic substances that would
5otherwise adversely impact the quality of waters of the state.
AB426,133,76 4. Shoreline protection against erosion through the dissipation of wave energy
7and water velocity and anchoring of sediments.
AB426,133,118 5. Habitat for aquatic organisms in the food web including fish, crustaceans,
9mollusks, insects, annelids, and planktonic organisms and the plants and animals
10upon which these aquatic organisms feed and depend upon for their needs in all life
11stages.
AB426,133,1412 6. Habitat for resident and transient wildlife species, including mammals,
13birds, reptiles, and amphibians, for breeding, resting, nesting, escape cover, travel
14corridors, and food.
AB426,133,1615 7. Recreational, cultural, educational, scientific, and natural scenic beauty
16values and uses.
AB426,133,2017 (b) All of the following shall be minimized in order to avoid significant adverse
18impacts for the purpose of maintaining or enhancing the functional values and water
19quality identified under par. (a), and any minimization of the following must be taken
20into account in the department's evaluation of significant adverse impacts:
AB426,133,2121 1. The use of liquids, fill, or other solids or gases.
AB426,133,2222 2. The presence of floating or submerged debris, oil, or other material.
AB426,133,2323 3. The use of materials producing color, odor, taste, or unsightliness.
AB426,133,2524 4. The presence of concentrations or combinations of substances that are toxic
25or harmful to human, animal, or plant life.
AB426,134,3
15. Adverse effects on hydrological conditions necessary to support the biological
2and physical characteristics that are naturally present in wetlands. For purposes
3of this subdivision, the hydrological conditions include of all of the following:
AB426,134,44 a. Water currents and erosion and sedimentation patterns.
AB426,134,55 b. Water temperature variations.
AB426,134,66 c. The chemical, nutrient, and dissolved oxygen regime of the wetland.
AB426,134,77 d. The movement of aquatic fauna.
AB426,134,88 e. The pH of the wetland.
AB426,134,99 f. Water levels or elevations.
AB426,134,1110 6. Adverse effects on existing habitat and populations of animals and
11vegetation found in wetlands.
AB426,134,15 12(6m) Scope of evaluation. For purposes of issuing a water quality certification
13under sub. (4) or (5), the department shall evaluate whether an activity will result
14in a significant adverse impact to the functional values and water quality associated
15with a wetland by doing all of the following:
AB426,134,1916 (a) Comparing the functional values and water quality of the wetland with
17other wetlands located within the boundaries of the mining site or within the same
18water management unit as the mining site and with other waters of the state that
19are located in the same water management unit.
AB426,134,2120 (b) Taking into consideration the floristic province in which the mining site is
21located.
AB426,134,24 22(7) Approval by department; nonfederal wetlands. The department shall
23issue a water quality certification under this section for a nonfederal wetland, if the
24department determines all of the following:
AB426,135,2
1(a) All practicable measures will be taken to minimize the adverse impacts to
2wetlands.
AB426,135,43 (b) Any significant adverse impacts to functional values and water quality that
4remain are offset through a compensation or mitigation program under sub. (8).
AB426,135,7 5(8) Compensation and mitigation program. (a) Contents. A compensation and
6mitigation program to offset significant adverse impacts to functional values and
7water quality of wetlands shall contain all of the following:
AB426,135,118 1. Proposed projects for compensation or mitigation and a schedule for
9implementing the projects. The projects may include riparian restoration projects.
10These projects may be performed by a person other than the applicant, subject to the
11department's approval of the projects and schedule.
AB426,135,1312 2. If the program is applicable to a federal wetland, all federal compensatory
13mitigation requirements associated with the federal wetland application.
AB426,135,1514 (b) Option of applicant. An applicant submitting a program under par. (a) may
15submit proposals for compensation or mitigation or any combination thereof.
AB426,135,1916 (c) Ratios for mitigation. The amount of mitigation required may not exceed
171.5 acres of mitigation for each acre of adversely impacted wetland. For purpose of
18credits in a mitigation bank, each acre that is subject to mitigation shall count as at
19least one credit.
AB426,135,2520 (d) Sequence. If it is not practicable or ecologically preferable to conduct
21compensation or mitigation at an on-site location or if there is no on-site location
22that will provide sufficient wetland acreage, the department shall allow the
23applicant to conduct compensation or mitigation at a site other than an on-site
24location. Compensation or mitigation shall be accomplished through the following
25options:
AB426,136,4
11. Implementation of a project for compensation or mitigation. Projects for
2compensation at a site other than an on-site location may include projects to protect
3upland groundwater recharge areas, shoreline stabilization projects, and riparian
4restoration projects.
AB426,136,65 2. Purchase of credits from a mitigation bank for a site in a mitigation bank that
6is located anywhere in the state.
AB426,136,107 3. Purchase of mitigation credits from a mitigation bank established prior to
8February 1, 2002, if the department determines that the bank sponsor is in
9compliance with any applicable memorandum of understanding between the bank
10sponsor and the department.
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