AB1,167,10 9(7) Relationship to other laws. None of the following apply to water
10withdrawal or use that is associated with mining operations or bulk sampling:
AB1,167,1211 (a) Sections 30.18, 281.34, and 281.35 and any rules promulgated under those
12sections, except as specifically provided in this section.
AB1,167,1513 (b) Any provision of ch. NR 812, Wis. Adm. Code, that conflicts with this section,
14except that s. NR 812.08, Wis. Adm. Code, does not apply to water withdrawal or use
15that is associated with mining operations or bulk sampling.
AB1,167,17 16(8) Damage claims. (a) As used in this subsection, "person" does not include
17a city, village, or town.
AB1,167,2418 (b) A person claiming damage to the quantity or quality of the person's private
19water supply caused by bulk sampling or mining may file a complaint with the
20department and, if there is a need for an immediate alternative source of water, with
21the city, village, or town where the private water supply is located. The department
22shall conduct an investigation and if the department concludes that there is reason
23to believe that the bulk sampling or mining is interrelated to the condition giving rise
24to the complaint, it shall schedule a hearing.
AB1,168,6
1(c) The city, village, or town in which is located the private water supply that
2is the subject of a complaint under par. (a) shall, upon request, supply necessary
3amounts of water to replace the water formerly obtained from the damaged private
4supply. Responsibility to supply water begins at the time the complaint is filed and
5ends at the time the decision of the department made at the conclusion of the hearing
6is implemented.
AB1,168,257 (d) If the department concludes after the hearing that bulk sampling or mining
8is the principal cause of the damage to the private water supply, it shall issue an order
9to the operator requiring the provision of water to the person found to be damaged
10in a like quantity and quality to that previously obtained by the person and for a
11period of time that the water supply, if undamaged, would be expected to provide a
12beneficial use, requiring reimbursement to the city, village, or town for the cost of
13supplying water under par. (c), if any, and requiring the payment of compensation
14for any damages unreasonably inflicted on the person as a result of damage to the
15person's water supply. The department shall order the payment of full compensatory
16damages up to $75,000 per claimant. The department shall issue its written findings
17and order within 60 days after the close of the hearing. Any judgment awarded in
18a subsequent action for damages to a private water supply caused by bulk sampling
19or mining shall be reduced by any award of compensatory damages previously made
20under this subsection for the same injury and paid by the operator. The department
21shall change the dollar amount under this paragraph annually, beginning with 1978,
22according to the method under s. 70.375 (6). Pending the final decision on any appeal
23from an order issued under this paragraph, the operator shall provide water as
24ordered by the department. The existence of the relief under this section is not a bar
25to any other statutory or common law remedy for damages.
AB1,169,4
1(e) If the department concludes after the hearing that bulk sampling or mining
2is not the cause of any damage, reimbursement to the city, village, or town for the
3costs of supplying water under par. (c), if any, is the responsibility of the person who
4filed the complaint.
AB1,169,75 (f) Failure of an operator to comply with an order under par. (d) is grounds for
6suspension or revocation of a mining permit or any approval required for bulk
7sampling.
AB1,169,13 8(9) Costs reimbursed. (a) Costs incurred by a city, village, or town in
9monitoring the effects of bulk sampling or mining on surface water and groundwater
10resources, in providing water to persons claiming damage to private water supplies
11under sub. (8) (c), or in retaining legal counsel or technical consultants to represent
12and assist the city, village, or town appearing at the hearing under sub. (8) (b) are
13reimbursable through the investment and local impact fund under s. 15.435.
AB1,169,1714 (b) Any costs paid to a city, village, or town through the investment and local
15impact fund under par. (a) shall be reimbursed to the fund by the city, village, or town
16if the city, village, or town receives funds from any other source for the costs incurred
17under par. (a).
AB1,169,2218 (c) If an order under sub. (8) (d) requiring the operator to provide water or to
19reimburse the city, village, or town for the cost of supplying water is appealed and
20is not upheld, the court shall order the cost incurred by the operator in providing
21water or in reimbursing the city, village, or town pending the final decision to be
22reimbursed from the investment and local impact fund under s. 15.435.
AB1,169,25 23295.62 Mining waste site construction and completion reports. (1) An
24operator shall construct a mining waste site substantially in accordance with the
25approved mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation.
AB1,170,10
1(2) The operator shall inspect the mining waste site before it is used and ensure
2that all associated structures are in substantial compliance with the mining waste
3site feasibility study and plan of operation. The operator shall have a professional
4engineer, registered as such under ch. 443, document mining waste site construction
5and render an opinion as to whether the mining waste site has been constructed in
6substantial conformance with the mining waste site feasibility study and plan of
7operation. The engineer may use aerial or ground photographs to document the
8inspection, but photographs do not in themselves constitute compliance with this
9subsection. The operator shall maintain a complete file describing the items
10inspected and their condition.
AB1,170,13 11(3) An operator shall notify the department in writing when the mining waste
12site has been constructed in substantial compliance with the mining waste site
13feasibility study and plan of operation.
AB1,171,2 14(4) (a) Within 5 business days of receipt of written notice from an operator that
15the mining waste site has been constructed in substantial compliance with the
16mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation, the department shall either
17review and inspect the mining waste site to ensure that it was constructed according
18to the approved mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation or notify the
19operator that the department will not conduct a review and inspection before
20disposal of mining waste in the mining waste site. Within 3 business days of any
21review and inspection, the department shall notify the operator that the mining
22waste site may be used for the disposal of mining waste or identify all steps that must
23be completed to bring the mining waste site into substantial compliance with the
24mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation. After the operator

1completes the steps, the operator shall notify the department that the steps have
2been completed.
AB1,171,43 (b) An operator may dispose of mining waste in a mining waste site after one
4of the following occurs:
AB1,171,75 1. The operator receives notice from the department under par. (a) that the
6department will not conduct a review and inspection before disposal of mining waste
7in the mining waste site.
AB1,171,98 2. The operator receives notice from the department under par. (a) that the
9mining waste site may be used for the disposal of mining waste.
AB1,171,1110 3. The operator provides notice to the department under par. (a) that any steps
11required by the department to be completed under par. (a) have been completed.
AB1,171,21 12295.63 Modifications; reporting. (1) (a) An operator at any time may
13request a change to a mining permit, the mining plan, the reclamation plan, or the
14mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation for any mining site that the
15operator owns or leases, or request cancellation of the mining permit for any or all
16of the unmined part of a mining site. The operator shall submit an application for
17the change or cancellation in the form of a letter giving notice to the department of
18the proposed change or cancellation and shall identify in the letter the tract of land
19to be affected by a change in the mining plan, reclamation plan, or mining waste site
20feasibility study and plan of operation or to be removed from the permitted mining
21site.
AB1,172,222 (b) The department shall grant a request under par. (a) unless it determines
23that the requested change makes it impossible for the permit holder to substantially
24comply with the approved mining plan, reclamation plan, or mining waste site
25feasibility study and plan of operation. If the department determines that the

1requested change would make substantial compliance impossible, it shall follow the
2procedure in sub. (3).
AB1,172,113 (c) If the request under par. (a) is to cancel any or all of the unmined part of a
4mining site, the department shall ascertain, by inspection, if mining has occurred on
5the land. If the department finds that no mining has occurred, the department shall
6order release of the bond or other security posted for the land being removed from
7the permitted mining site and cancel or amend the operator's written authorization
8to conduct mining on the mining site. The department may not approve the removal
9of land where mining has occurred from a permitted mining site, or release that land
10from the bond or other security under this subsection, unless the operator has
11completed reclamation to the satisfaction of the department.
AB1,172,20 12(2) The operator shall furnish the department with a report for each mining
13site within 30 days after the end of every 12-month period after issuance of the
14mining permit, within 30 days after completion of all mining at the mining site, and
15within 30 days after completion of the mining plan and of the reclamation plan,
16describing any reclamation work accomplished, or experimental reclamation work
17performed, during the preceding year. The operator shall include in the reports an
18annual plan map, color-coded and with a legend, showing all of the following, as of
19December 31 of the previous year, or as near to December 31 of the previous year as
20mining operations permit:
AB1,172,2121 (a) Location and boundary of the mining area.
AB1,172,2222 (b) Any mine mill.
AB1,172,2323 (c) Any open pit.
AB1,172,2424 (d) Stockpiles of overburden.
AB1,172,2525 (e) Stockpiles of waste rock.
AB1,173,1
1(f) Ferrous ore stockpiles.
AB1,173,22 (g) Streams, lakes, and reservoirs.
AB1,173,33 (h) Tailings basins.
AB1,173,44 (i) Roads.
AB1,173,75 (j) Sequential numbers or letters or other method, as approved by the
6department, permanently assigned to portions of the mining site that have been
7abandoned before abandonment of the entire mining operation.
AB1,173,98 (k) Changes in the surface area disturbed by mining during the preceding year,
9indicated by vertical crosshatching or other method approved by the department.
AB1,173,1210 (L) Anticipated changes in the surface area disturbed by mining during the
11current year, indicated by horizontal crosshatching or other method approved by the
12department.
AB1,173,1313 (m) Elevations of stockpiles and tailings basins.
AB1,173,1614 (n) Drainage on and away from the surface area disturbed by mining, showing
15directional flow of water in drainage ways, natural watercourses, and streams,
16intermittent and flowing, including discharge from the mining.
AB1,173,1817 (o) The name of the geologist, engineer, or surveyor responsible for the
18preparation of the map.
AB1,173,1919 (p) The date the map was prepared.
AB1,173,25 20(2m) Annually, the department shall review the bond or other security under
21s. 295.59 (1) to ascertain its adequacy. If the department after review determines
22that the amount of the bond or other security should be changed, it shall notify the
23permit holder of the necessary changes. If the permit holder does not seek a
24contested case hearing under s. 295.77 (3) within 30 days, the changes are considered
25to be accepted.
AB1,174,18
1(3) If the department finds that a change requested under sub. (1) (a) would
2make substantial compliance with the approved mining plan, reclamation plan, or
3mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation impossible or it finds, based
4on a review conducted no more frequently than every 5 years, that because of
5changing conditions, including changes in reclamation costs or reclamation
6technology, the reclamation plan for a mining site is no longer sufficient to
7reasonably provide for reclamation of the mining site consistent with this
8subchapter, it shall require the operator to submit an amended mining plan,
9reclamation plan, or mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation and
10applications for amending any approval associated with the proposed amendments
11to the mining plan, reclamation plan, or mining waste site feasibility study and plan
12of operation. The public notice, public comment, and public hearing procedures in
13s. 295.57 apply to amended plans and applications under this subsection. The
14department shall approve or deny the amended mining plan, reclamation plan, or
15mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation in accordance with s.
16295.58, within 30 days following the close of the public comment period. The
17applicant may continue to operate under the existing mining permit until the
18amended mining permit is issued or denied.
AB1,174,20 19295.635 Required mining waste site inspections, record keeping,
20reporting, and responses.
(1) Definitions. In this section:
AB1,174,2321 (a) "Active dam" means a dam and associated settling area into which tailings
22or wastewater are being introduced or that has not been reclaimed in a manner
23approved by the department.
AB1,175,3
1(b) "Inactive dam" means a dam and associated settling area that is no longer
2being used for disposal of tailings or wastewater and that has been reclaimed in a
3manner approved by the department.
AB1,175,5 4(2) General. The operator shall, at least monthly, visually inspect all of the
5following and record observations in a mining waste site operating log:
AB1,175,76 (a) The active portions of the mining waste site for possible damage or
7structural weakening.
AB1,175,98 (b) Mining waste handling and monitoring equipment and readings, to ensure
9normal operation and measurements.
AB1,175,1010 (c) Fences or barriers around the mining waste site, for possible damage.
AB1,175,1211 (d) The buffer area around the mining waste site, for possible environmental
12damage related to its operation.
AB1,175,15 13(3) Active dams. The operator shall, at least monthly, inspect active dams and
14record the findings in the mining waste site operating log. The operator shall record
15at least all of the following findings:
AB1,175,1616 (a) Condition of vegetation on the dam and within 50 feet from the outside base.
AB1,175,1717 (b) Piezometric levels within the mass of the dam.
AB1,175,1918 (c) Condition of soil surfaces on the top and slopes of the dam and within 50 feet
19from the outside base.
AB1,175,2020 (d) Condition of drainage ditches near the base of the dam.
AB1,175,2121 (e) Liquid surface level and amount of freeboard.
AB1,175,2222 (f) Condition of spillways, conduits, and water level control structures.
AB1,175,25 23(4) Inactive dams. The operator shall inspect inactive dams quarterly and
24record the findings in the mining waste site operating log. The operator shall record
25at least all of the following findings:
AB1,176,2
1(a) Condition of soil surfaces on the top and slopes of the dam and within 50 feet
2from the outside base.
AB1,176,53 (b) Piezometric levels within the mass of the dam if that instrumentation has
4been determined to be necessary or is required in the long-term care provisions of
5the mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation.
AB1,176,66 (c) Condition of spillways, conduits, and water level control structures.
AB1,176,16 7(5) Defective conditions of dams posing risk of adverse impact. When a
8defective condition that poses a significant risk of adverse impact to the environment
9is found during an inspection of a dam, the operator shall ensure that it is recorded
10and corrected at the earliest practicable time. At the earliest practicable time, the
11operator shall make a written report to the department of the condition and the
12actions proposed and taken for its correction. Within 5 business days of receipt of a
13written report, the department may confirm the correction of the condition and
14specify any necessary additional corrective action. An operator shall consider any
15of the following items as indicating a condition that requires prompt investigation
16and that may require corrective action:
AB1,176,1817 (a) Seepage on the outer face of the dam accompanied by boils, sand cones, or
18deltas.
AB1,176,2019 (b) Silt accumulations, boils, deltas, or cones in the drainage ditches at the base
20of the dam.
AB1,176,2121 (c) Cracking of soil surface on the top or either face of the dam.
AB1,176,2222 (d) Bulging of the outside face of the dam.
AB1,176,2423 (e) Seepage, damp areas, or boils in the vicinity of, or erosion around, a conduit
24through the dam.
AB1,176,2525 (f) Any shrinkage of the top or faces of the dam.
AB1,177,4
1(6) Potential defects of dams. All of the following conditions indicate
2potential defects and the operator shall closely check them on subsequent
3inspections for an active dam and conduct an intermediate inspection if they exist
4for an inactive dam:
AB1,177,65 (a) Patches of overgrown vegetation on the outside face or close to the base of
6the dam.
AB1,177,77 (b) Surface erosion, gullying, or wave erosion on the inside of the dam.
AB1,177,98 (c) Surface erosion, gullying, or damp areas on the outside of the dam, including
9the berm and the area within 50 feet from the outside base.
AB1,177,1010 (d) Erosion below any conduit.
AB1,177,1111 (e) Wet areas or soggy soil on the outside of, or in natural soil below, the dam.
AB1,177,16 12(7) Record keeping related to dams. (a) The operator shall retain all records
13relating to dam monitoring, analytical, and verification activities and data,
14including all original strip chart recordings and instrumentation, calibration, and
15maintenance records, until termination of operator responsibility, except to the
16extent that copies of those records have previously been provided to the department.
AB1,177,1917 (b) The operator shall maintain in a permanent file all of the following
18construction records pertaining to any dam in case they are needed for future
19reference:
AB1,177,2020 1. Aerial photos of the construction site before construction.
AB1,177,2121 2. Construction drawings and modifications of the drawings.
AB1,177,2222 3. Construction specifications and modifications of the specifications.
AB1,177,2323 4. Results of all soil tests on foundations and fill materials.
AB1,177,2424 5. Logs of borings and engineering geology reports.
AB1,178,3
16. Copies of construction progress inspections pertinent to core trench, toe
2drain, internal drains, and other significant phases of the structure including, at the
3option of the operator, photographs of various structural items.
AB1,178,54 7. Aerial photos of the entire dam taken within 90 days after all construction
5is completed.
AB1,178,76 8. A description of and justification for all deviations or variances from the
7construction plans and specifications.
AB1,178,13 8(8) Responses to unplanned events. If a mining waste site has an accidental
9or emergency discharge, a fire, an explosion, or other unplanned or unpredicted
10event that is likely to damage human health or the environment, the operator shall
11follow the procedures set forth in the contingency plan under s. 295.51 (6) (f) and
12shall report the incident to the department and to county, town, and tribal
13governmental agencies immediately after the operator has discovered the event.
AB1,178,15 14(9) Annual report. The operator shall submit to the department an annual
15summary report concerning the mining waste site containing all of the following:
AB1,178,1616 (a) Statistical summaries of annual and cumulative data.
AB1,178,2017 (b) A comparison of the summaries under par. (a) to mining waste
18characterization, leachate characterizations, effluent predictions, and baseline
19water quality and background water quality data as contained in the approved
20mining waste site feasibility study and plan of operation.
AB1,178,2221 (c) The results of verification procedures and a presentation of the error
22associated with each parameter reported.
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