Deleted - Montana I-186 Full Text

THE COMPLETE TEXT OF INITIATIVE NO.
186 (I-186)
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 82-4-336, MCA, is amended to read:

“82-4-336. Reclamation plan and specific reclamation requirements. (1) Taking into
account the site-specific conditions and circumstances, including the postmining use of the mine
site, disturbed lands must be reclaimed consistent with the requirements and standards set
forth in this section.
(2) The reclamation plan must provide that reclamation activities, particularly those
relating to control of erosion, to the extent feasible, must be conducted simultaneously with the
operation and in any case must be initiated promptly after completion or abandonment of the
operation on those portions of the complex that will not be subject to further disturbance.
(3) In the absence of an order by the department providing a longer period, the plan
must provide that reclamation activities must be completed not more than 2 years after
completion or abandonment of the operation on that portion of the complex.
(4) In the absence of emergency or suddenly threatened or existing catastrophe, an
operator may not depart from an approved plan without previously obtaining from the
department written approval for the proposed change.
(5) Provision must be made to avoid accumulation of stagnant water in the
development area to the extent that it serves as a host or breeding ground for mosquitoes or
other disease-bearing or noxious insect life.
(6) All final grading must be made with nonnoxious, nonflammable, noncombustible
solids unless approval has been granted by the department for a supervised sanitary fill.
(7) When mining has left an open pit exceeding 2 acres of surface area and the
composition of the floor or walls of the pit are likely to cause formation of acid, toxic, or
otherwise pollutive solutions ("objectionable effluents") on exposure to moisture, the
reclamation plan must include provisions that adequately provide for:
(a) insulation of all faces from moisture or water contact by covering the faces with
material or fill not susceptible itself to generation of objectionable effluents in order to mitigate
the generation of objectionable effluents;
(b) processing of any objectionable effluents in the pit before they are allowed to flow
or be pumped out of the pit to reduce toxic or other objectionable ratios to a level considered
safe to humans and the environment by the department;
(c) drainage of any objectionable effluents to settling or treatment basins when the
objectionable effluents must be reduced to levels considered safe by the department before
release from the settling basin; or
(d) absorption or evaporation of objectionable effluents in the open pit itself; and
(e) prevention of entrance into the open pit by persons or livestock lawfully upon
adjacent lands by fencing, warning signs, and other devices that may reasonably be required by
the department.
(8) Provisions for vegetative cover must be required in the reclamation plan if
appropriate to the future use of the land as specified in the reclamation plan. The reestablished
vegetative cover must meet county standards for noxious weed control.
(9) (a) With regard to disturbed land other than open pits and rock faces, the
reclamation plan must provide for the reclamation of all disturbed land to comparable utility
and stability as that of adjacent areas. This standard may not be applied to require the removal
of mine-related facilities that are valuable for postmining use. If the reclamation plan provides
that mine-related facilities will not be removed or that the disturbed land associated with the
facilities will not be reclaimed by the permittee, the following apply:
(i) The postmining use of the mine-related facilities must be approved by the
department.
(ii) In the absence of a legitimate postmining use of mine-related facilities upon
completion of other approved mine reclamation activities, the permittee shall comply with the
reclamation requirements of this part and the reclamation plan within the time limits
established in subsection (3) for mine-related facilities that had previously been identified as
valuable for postmining use.
(b) With regard to open pits and rock faces, the reclamation plan must provide sufficient
measures for reclamation to a condition:
(i) of stability structurally competent to withstand geologic and climatic conditions
without significant failure that would be a threat to public safety and the environment;
(ii) that affords some utility to humans or the environment;
(iii) that mitigates postreclamation visual contrasts between reclamation lands and
adjacent lands; and
(iv) that mitigates or prevents undesirable offsite environmental impacts.
(c) The use of backfilling as a reclamation measure is neither required nor prohibited in
all cases. A department decision to require any backfill measure must be based on whether and
to what extent the backfilling is appropriate under the site-specific circumstances and
conditions in order to achieve the standards described in subsection (9)(b).
(10) The reclamation plan must provide sufficient measures to ensure public safety and
to prevent the pollution of air or water and the degradation of adjacent lands.
(11) A reclamation plan must be approved by the department if it adequately provides
for the accomplishment of the requirements and standards set forth in this section.
(12) The reclamation plan must provide for permanent landscaping and contouring to
minimize the amount of precipitation that infiltrates into disturbed areas that are to be graded,
covered, or vegetated, including but not limited to tailings impoundments and waste rock
dumps. The plan must also provide measures to prevent objectionable postmining ground water
discharges.
(13)(a) The reclamation plan must contain measures sufficient to prevent the pollution
of water without the need for perpetual treatment.
(b) For purposes of this subsection (13), the term "perpetual treatment" includes
activities necessary to treat acid mine drainage or perpetual leaching of contaminants, including
arsenic, mercury and lead.
(c) This subsection (13) applies except in the case of a proposed amendment to an
operating permit or reclamation plan pursuant to which a mine has been permitted on or before
November 6, 2018.
(13) (14) The reclamation plan must include, if applicable, the requirements for
postclosure monitoring of a tailings storage facility agreed to by a panel pursuant to 82-4-377.”
Section 2. Section 82-4-351, MCA, is amended to read:

“82-4-351. Reasons for denial of permit. (1) An application for a permit or an
application for an amendment to a permit may be denied for the following reasons:
(a) the plan of operation or reclamation conflicts with Title 75, chapter 2, as amended,
Title 75, chapter 5, as amended, Title 75, chapter 6, as amended, or rules adopted pursuant to
these laws;
(b) the reclamation plan does not provide an acceptable method for accomplishment of
reclamation as required by this part.
(2) (A) Except as stated in subsection 3, a denial of a permit must be in writing, state the
reasons for denial, and be based on a preponderance of the evidence.
(3) The department shall deny an application for a permit or an application for an
amendment to a permit unless the department finds, in writing and based on clear and
convincing evidence, that the reclamation plan meets the requirements of 82-4-336(13). This
subsection (3) applies except in the case of a proposed amendment to an operating permit or
reclamation plan pursuant to which a mine has been permitted on or before November 6,
2018.”
NEW SECTION. Section 3. {standard} Effective dates. [This Act] is effective upon
approval by the electorate.
NEW SECTION. Section 4. {standard} Severability. If a part of [this act] is invalid, all
valid parts that are severable from the invalid part remain in effect. If a part of [this act] is
invalid in one or more of its applications, the part remains in effect in all valid applications that
are severable from the invalid applications.
NEW SECTION. Section 5. {standard} Applicability. [This act] applies after November
6, 2018.

Deleted - Montana I-186 Full Text

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Deleted - Montana I-186 Full Text

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Deleted - Montana I-186 Full Text

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE COMPLETE TEXT OF INITIATIVE NO.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 82-4-336, MCA, is amended to read:

Section 2. Section 82-4-351, MCA, is amended to read:

You might also like