Signed by Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires mining operations to restore used land to pre-mining quality or to the standards set by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission.

Highlights:

-Requires that applicants for in situ leach mining permits mail the proposed plans for land and water reclamation to all owners of land within three miles of proposed operations (Sec. 4). -Requires applications for in situ leach mining to also include plans for ongoing monitoring of affected land and water and plans for groundwater reclamation (Sec. 5). -Allows for a state recommended independent third-party evaluation of a proposed mining operation (Sec. 5). -Requires the Mining Land Reclamation Board to alert the public of any hearings regarding mining applications (Sec. 6). -Requires the Mining Land Reclamation Board to deny a permit to any leach mining operation that fails to demonstrate that reclamation can be accomplished in compliance with this bill or to companies that have disregarded federal or state environmental regulations in the past ten years (Sec. 6). -Requires owners of in situ leach mining operations to reclaim all affected ground water to pre-mining water quality conditions or better and to make sure that the affected water meets the strictest state radioactive materials standards (Sec. 7).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires mining operations to restore used land to pre-mining quality or to the standards set by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission.

Highlights:

-Requires that applicants for in situ leach mining permits mail the proposed plans for land and water reclamation to all owners of land within three miles of proposed operations (Sec. 4). -Requires applications for in situ leach mining to also include plans for ongoing monitoring of affected land and water and plans for groundwater reclamation (Sec. 5). -Allows for a state recommended independent third-party evaluation of a proposed mining operation (Sec. 5). -Requires the Mining Land Reclamation Board to alert the public of any hearings regarding mining applications (Sec. 6). -Requires the Mining Land Reclamation Board to deny a permit to any leach mining operation that fails to demonstrate that reclamation can be accomplished in compliance with this bill or to companies that have disregarded federal or state environmental regulations in the past ten years (Sec. 6). -Requires owners of in situ leach mining operations to reclaim all affected ground water to pre-mining water quality conditions or better and to make sure that the affected water meets the strictest state radioactive materials standards (Sec. 7).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires mining operations to restore used land to pre-mining quality or to the standards set by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission.

Highlights:

- Defines in-situ leach mining as uranium mining operations in which chemicals are used to extract materials [sec. 1 (b) (5.7)]. - Requires applicants to verify that, in at least five other mining operations, they have been capable of mining without spreading toxic materials [sec. 3 (2) (j)]. - Requires in-situ mining operations to give notice of failure or imminent failure of mines that pose a reasonable potential for damage to any persons, property, or the environment within 24 hours (Sec 8). - Requires in-situ mining operations to notify land owners within three miles of the potential mining site of the submission for a mining permit request (Sec. 4). - Appropriates $56,946 to implement this bill (Sec. 9).