Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 158 - Natural Resources Department
Chapter 6131 - PEAT MINING
PEATLAND RECLAMATION STANDARDS
Part 6131.0110 - MINE DESIGN
Universal Citation: MN Rules 6131.0110
Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 13, September 23, 2024
Subpart 1. Goals.
Mining areas shall be designed, constructed, and managed to be compatible with surrounding nonmining land uses; to minimize adverse water quality and quantity effects; to be structurally sound; to promote progressive reclamation; and to encourage the prompt attainment of site restoration goals.
Subp. 2. Requirements.
The requirements of mine design are contained in items A to D:
A. Mining shall proceed in a manner
approved by the commissioner according to the following:
(1) Where practical, the mining area shall be
developed as a series of mine plots.
(2) Scheduling of mine plots shall be
accomplished in a manner which promotes progressive reclamation.
(3) Mine plots shall be designed so that when
reclaimed, open water areas expected to form therein shall have a stable
shoreline and a water level which shall not fluctuate to expose large areas of
unvegetated land.
B.
Adjacent permitted peat mining operations shall be separated by unmined or
successfully reclaimed areas, when necessary, to mitigate environmental
impacts. The extent of these separations shall be determined by the
commissioner according to the following criteria:
(1) mine plot sizes and schedules for
production and reclamation;
(2) the
extent to which separations will mitigate impacts;
(3) the attainment of site restoration
goals;
(4) the use of the peat
resource; and
(5) land
ownership.
C. Dewatering
and ditch design shall proceed in a manner approved by the commissioner
according to the following:
(1) Levels of
surrounding protected waters shall not be lowered.
(2) Adjacent peatlands shall not be dewatered
to the extent that the value of the resource is diminished.
(3) Ditches which divert waters around, or
carry waters away from the mining area shall be constructed to avoid bank
slumping and erosion.
D.
Mine wastes (including peat and wood wastes) from mining and processing shall
be disposed of in a manner approved by the commissioner.
Statutory Authority: MS s 93.461
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