NR 131.120(1)(1) If the department after review of the prospecting permit, prospecting plan and reclamation plan determines that the permit or plans should be modified or the bond amount changed, it shall notify the permit holder of the necessary modifications or changes. If the permit holder does not request a hearing within 30 days, the modifications or changes shall be deemed accepted. NR 131.120(2)(2) An operator, at any time, may apply for amendment or cancellation of a prospecting permit or for a change in the prospecting plan, reclamation plan, or monitoring plan for any prospecting operation that the operator owns or leases. NR 131.120(2)(a)(a) The operator shall submit any application for the amendment, cancellation, or change in a format specified by the department. The request shall identify the tract of land to be added to or removed from the permitted prospecting site or to be affected by a change in the prospecting or reclamation plans. The request shall clearly identify any proposed changes in the prospecting plan, reclamation plan, or monitoring plan, reasons for the changes and anticipated environmental and economic impacts of the proposed changes. NR 131.120(2)(b)(b) The department shall determine if any change in the prospecting plan, reclamation plan, or monitoring plan substantially broadens or changes the scope of the original prospecting project and provide notice of its determination in the same manner as specified under s. 293.43 (2m) (b), Stats. NR 131.120(2)(c)(c) The department shall provide notice of any modification that involves an increase or decrease in the area of a prospecting site or a substantial change in the prospecting plan, reclamation plan, or monitoring plan in the same manner as an original application for a prospecting permit under s. 293.43 (2m), Stats. If 5 or more interested persons do not request a hearing in writing within 30 days of notice, no hearing is required on the modification. The notice shall include a statement to this effect. NR 131.120(2)(d)(d) If the department holds a hearing, it shall be conducted as an informational hearing and shall be subject to the notice and procedural provisions under s. 293.43 (3m), Stats. Any information presented in a prior hearing on either the original application or any previous modification may be offered as part of the hearing record on the proposed modification. NR 131.120(2)(e)(e) If the application is to cancel any portion of a prospecting site, the department shall verify that prospecting has not occurred on the portion of the prospecting site identified in the request. If the department finds that no prospecting has occurred, the department shall modify the prospecting permit accordingly and, if applicable, shall authorize the operator to modify the financial securities required under s. NR 131.116 to reflect the decrease in the prospecting site. NR 131.120(3)(3) To the extent that testimony and evidence submitted at the original prospecting permit proceedings or from previous modification hearings is relevant to the issues of modification or granting or denial of the amendment, it may be adopted in the subsequent proceedings, subject to the opportunity for cross-examination and rebuttal, if not unduly repetitious. NR 131.120 HistoryHistory: CR 20-043: cr. Register December 2021 No. 792, eff. 1-1-22; correction in (2) (c) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register December 2021 No. 792. NR 131.121NR 131.121 Certificate of completion of reclamation and reclamation bond release. NR 131.121(1)(1) Upon completion of final reclamation in accordance with the approved reclamation plan for a portion of the prospecting site or the entire prospecting site the operator may provide notice to the department that final reclamation has been completed. The notice shall include all of the following: NR 131.121(1)(a)(a) Clear delineation of the portion of the prospecting site addressed by the notification. NR 131.121(1)(b)(b) Documentation that all applicable reclamation success criteria specified in the approved reclamation plan have been satisfied for the portion of the prospecting site addressed in the notification. NR 131.121(1)(c)(c) Identification of routine management and maintenance activities that may be necessary to maintain the reclaimed portion of the site. NR 131.121(1)(e)(e) Documentation that the reclamation activities, as implemented, have achieved the minimum standards as required in s. 293.13 (2) (c), Stats. NR 131.121(2)(2) Upon receipt of the notification of completion of final reclamation under sub. (1) the department shall review the information contained in the notification and take one of the following actions: NR 131.121(2)(a)(a) Approve the notification, specifying the date upon which final reclamation is considered to have been completed and the scope of approved management, maintenance, and monitoring activities. NR 131.121(2)(b)(b) Request additional information needed to complete the review of the notification. NR 131.121(2)(c)(c) Deny approval of the notification, specifying the reasons for denial and steps to correct any identified deficiencies. NR 131.121(3)(3) Not less than 2 years after completion of final reclamation, as determined by the department under sub. (2) (a), or if the prospecting site becomes part of a mining site permitted under ch. NR 132, the operator may petition the department to consider issuance of a certificate of completion of reclamation for any portion of the prospecting site in accordance with the approved reclamation plan and this chapter. The petition shall include information that demonstrates continued compliance with the applicable reclamation success criteria specified in the approved reclamation plan and that the site is stable and generally self-sustaining, requiring only routine maintenance and management. NR 131.121(4)(4) The department shall provide public notice of any request for certification of completion of reclamation under sub. (3) in the same manner as an original application for a prospecting permit under s. 293.43 (2m), Stats., and shall hold an informational hearing following the procedures under s. 293.43 (3m), Stats. The scope of a hearing conducted under this subsection shall be limited to issues related to whether the operator has complied with the approved reclamation plan and the need for and scope of continued monitoring, maintenance, and reporting related to reclamation. If the requested certification is for the entire prospecting site or covers the entire remaining portion of the prospecting site that has not been previously certified, the public notice and hearing shall also include consideration of the revised prospecting permit under sub. (7) (b). NR 131.121(5)(a)(a) If the department finds after conducting a hearing that the operator has completed final reclamation for any portion of the prospecting site in accordance with the reclamation plan and this chapter, and the minimum standards specified under s. 293.13 (2) (c), Stats., the department shall issue a certificate of completion setting forth a description of the area reclaimed and a statement that the operator has fulfilled its duties under the reclamation plan as to that area. Upon issuance of a certificate of completion, the department shall reduce the amount of the bond or security to an amount equal to the estimated cost of reclamation of the portion of the prospecting site for which a certificate of completion has not been issued. NR 131.121(5)(b)(b) In issuing a certificate of completion of reclamation the department may require the operator to continue regular maintenance of the reclaimed portion of the site and to continue regular reclamation monitoring and reporting. If needed to ensure long term environmental integrity of any portion of the site, the department, as part of a certificate of completion, may require an operator to develop a land use restriction to limit incompatible uses and development of specified portions of the prospecting site. Such land use restriction shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds in each county in which the portion of the prospecting site affected by the restriction is located. NR 131.121(5)(c)(c) Issuance of a certificate of completion under this subsection does not release an operator of any ongoing obligations or requirements imposed under other licenses, permits, or approvals issued by the department or other requirements of applicable laws and rules of the department. NR 131.121(6)(6) Upon issuance of any certificate of completion under sub. (5) for any portion of the prospecting site, but not for the entire prospecting site, the department shall allow the operator to reduce the amount of the bond to an amount which shall equal the estimated cost of reclamation of the portion of the prospecting site which is disturbed or for which reclamation has been completed but no certificate of completion has been issued. The bond may not be reduced to an amount that is less than the minimum amount specified in sub. (7). NR 131.121(7)(a)(a) Upon issuance of a certificate or certificates of completion of reclamation for the entire prospecting site, the department shall require the operator to maintain a bond equal to at least 10 percent of the cost to the state of reclamation of the entire prospecting site. In the event the operator fails to take appropriate and timely action as directed in an order issued by the department under s. 293.83 (1), Stats., the department may access the remaining bond to complete any necessary maintenance or stabilization activities that are needed to ensure stability of the prospecting site. NR 131.121(7)(b)(b) Upon issuance of a certificate or certificates of completion of reclamation for the entire prospecting site, the department shall issue a revised prospecting permit to the operator that covers the period from issuance of the certificate of completion until the full reclamation bond is released. The revised prospecting permit shall specify acceptable uses of the reclaimed prospecting site consistent with the reclamation plan, approved maintenance activities, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other conditions necessary to ensure compliance with the applicable minimum standards of s. 293.13 (2) (c), Stats. Subsequent modifications to the prospecting permit shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of s. NR 131.120 and s. 293.53, Stats. NR 131.121(8)(8) Five years after the issuance of a certificate or certificates of completion for the entire prospecting site, the department shall terminate the prospecting permit and release the financial security required under s. NR 131.116 (1) and s. 293.51 (1), Stats., if the department finds that the operator has complied with the approved reclamation plan. If the remaining financial security is not released, the department shall specify the reasons for retaining the financial security and shall include a schedule for reconsidering release of the financial security. NR 131.121 HistoryHistory: CR 20-043: cr. Register December 2021 No. 792, eff. 1-1-22; correction in (3), (4), (7) (b) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register December 2021 No. 792. NR 131.122(2)(2) Any person who makes a statement, known to the person to be false or misleading in any material respect or causes, such a statement to be made in an application or report required under this chapter, who refuses to file any report required under this chapter, or who refuses to submit information required by the prospecting permit may be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000. If the false or misleading statement is material to the issuance of the permit, the permit may be revoked. If any violation under this subsection is repeated the permit may be revoked. NR 131.122(3)(3) Penalties for violations may be imposed in accordance with s. 293.87, Stats. Penalties may include revocation of a permit as set forth in s. 293.87, Stats. NR 131.122(4)(4) Six or more citizens may file a complaint relating to alleged or potential environmental pollution caused by a prospecting operation. The department shall process verified complaints related to alleged or potential environmental pollution as provided under s. 299.91, Stats. NR 131.122 HistoryHistory: CR 20-043: cr. Register December 2021 No. 792, eff. 1-1-22.
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