Section 131.17. Minimum design and operation requirements.

  In addition to all other requirements of this chapter, no person shall construct, establish, operate or maintain a prospecting site except in conformance with the conditions attached to approval of the prospecting permit at the s. 293.43 , Stats., hearing and the following requirements:

(1)  To the extent practicable, and consistent with protection of the environment and requirements of necessary department approvals:

(a) Site elements should be placed where least observable from off the premises in any season.

(b) Site elements should be placed within the area of the overall site which is most visually compatible in respect to building shape.

(c) Site elements should be painted and maintained in a manner which is visually compatible with the associated vegetational and earth conditions.

(d) Site elements which cannot be visually mitigated using the techniques in pars. (b) and (c) should be made as visually inconspicuous as is practical.

(2)  Effective means shall be taken to limit access to the site so as to minimize exposure of the public to hazards.

(3)  Every reasonable effort should be made to reduce and control the production of contaminated water.

(4)  Contaminated water, including liquid effluents, from whatever source associated with the project should be collected, stored, recycled or treated to the maximum extent practicable.

(5)  Contaminated nonpoint source runoff from disturbed areas within the prospecting site should be collected and treated in a manner which facilitates monitoring, maximum practicable recycling reuse and consumption within the prospecting operation. Nonpoint sources of water pollution should be minimized to the extent practicable. Also to the extent practicable, the frequency and need for point source discharges of waste water to surface waters of the state shall be regulated pursuant to ch. 283 , Stats.

(6)  Provisions for critical back-up equipment in the event of operation equipment breakdown shall be made.

(7)  Design and operation specifications for prospecting site facilities should include contingencies for emergency conditions. Such contingencies may include emergency power supplies, equipment redundancies or temporary holding facilities.

(8)  Any prospecting site permitted pursuant to this chapter shall be designed, constructed, maintained, operated and reclaimed in such a manner so as to protect groundwater quality and quantity in accordance with the standards of ch. NR 182 .

(9)  Waste containing potentially harmful concentrations of acid generating material should not be used for purposes such as the construction of parking lots or roads in prospecting sites.

(10)  Prospecting site facilities should be designed to minimize surface area disturbance.

(11)  Where practicable, elevation differences in water-based transport systems should be utilized for gravity flows to minimize pumping facilities and pressures.

(12)  If practicable, all liquid effluents from a prospecting waste facility should be directed to a common point (for treatment if necessary) before discharge to a natural watercourse. If practicable, treated wastes should not be directed to more than one watershed.

Cr. Register, August, 1982, No. 320 , eff. 9-1-82; corrections in (intro.), (5) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7. , Stats., Register March 2011 No. 663 .