Arizona Laws 27-971. Submission and contents of reclamation plan
A. Beginning July 1, 1996, an owner or operator may submit a single reclamation plan that covers multiple mining units of a mining facility.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 27-971
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Mining facility: means property that is owned, operated or managed by the same person to develop, mine, concentrate or leach minerals and associated mineral recovery activities but does not include smelting, refining, fabricating or other metal processing facilities and materials associated with those facilities. See Arizona Laws 27-901
- Mining unit: means an individual portion of a mining facility that encompasses one or more surface disturbances. See Arizona Laws 27-901
- Reclamation: means measures that are taken on surface disturbances at exploration operations and mining units to achieve stability and safety consistent with post-mining land use objectives specified in the reclamation plan. See Arizona Laws 27-901
- Stability: means the condition of land with respect to its erosion potential and ability to withstand seismic activity. See Arizona Laws 27-901
- Surface disturbance: means clearing, covering or moving land by means of mechanized earth-moving equipment for mineral exploration, development and production purposes but does not include surveying, assessment and location work, seismic work, maintenance and other such activities that create a de minimis disturbance. See Arizona Laws 27-901
B. The proposed reclamation plan shall include:
1. The names and addresses of the owner or operator and an individual who will be the regulatory contact.
2. A statement that the owner or operator assumes responsibility for the reclamation of surface disturbances that are attributable to the mining unit consistent with this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter.
3. The current ownership and use of the land included in the mining unit.
4. The proposed post-mining use of the land.
5. A description of the mining unit and the proposed surface disturbances that will be created.
6. The existing and proposed final topography, including the final slopes of leach piles, overburden or low grade rock stockpiles and tailing piles.
7. A narrative description of roads that are proposed for the mining unit.
8. The acreage affected by each type of surface disturbance and a map of the mining unit area showing each surface disturbance. For previously undisturbed areas, the map shall identify any types of fish and wildlife habitats that will be disturbed.
9. The proposed reclamation measures that are necessary to achieve the post-mining land use including information concerning:
(a) The measures that will be taken to restrict public access to pits, adits, shafts and other surface features that may be a hazard to public safety.
(b) The measures that will be taken to address erosion control and stability.
(c) The measures that will be taken to address revegetation, conservation and the care and monitoring of revegetated areas as provided in this chapter.
(d) For surface disturbances where the proposed post-mining land use objective is designated as grazing, fish or wildlife habitat, forestry or recreation, the type of wildlife or fish habitat to be encouraged, including measures that will be taken to encourage that type of wildlife or fish habitat, and that those measures will not be incompatible with the fish or wildlife habitat on adjacent lands.
10. A proposed tentative schedule for beginning surface disturbances and beginning and completing the reclamation measures.
11. The estimated costs to perform each of the proposed reclamation measures for purposes of determining financial assurance requirements under article 5 of this chapter.