Section NR 131.121 - Certificate of completion of reclamation and reclamation bond release(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: (a) Clear delineation of the portion of the prospecting site addressed by the notification.(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.(c) Identification of routine management and maintenance activities that may be necessary to maintain the reclaimed portion of the site.(d) Documentation of ongoing reclamation monitoring activities.(e) Documentation that the reclamation activities, as implemented, have achieved the minimum standards as required in s. 293.13(2) (c), Stats.(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:(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.(b) Request additional information needed to complete the review of the notification.(c) Deny approval of the notification, specifying the reasons for denial and steps to correct any identified deficiencies.(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.(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).(5)(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.(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.(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.(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).(7)(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.(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.(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.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 131.121
Adopted by, 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, eff. 1/1/2022