Environmental Compliance Manual - Indiana Mineral Aggregates

ENVIRONMENTAL MANUAL INTRODUCTION Page 1-1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Mining for aggregate materials falls under the jurisdiction of numerous federal, state and local authorities. The primary purpose of this manual is twofold: 1) to inform those currently mining about their environmental responsibilities, and 2) to promote good stewardship of the land. The manual explains many of the regulations, provides an analysis of regulations, and provides key forms applicable to the aggregates industry. The appendices to the manual contain agency contact information, a glossary of key terms and commonly used acronyms, and a summary of permit information. This manual is also intended to provide guidance for those starting a mining operation, or for someone considering a new site. There are a number of steps the mine operator must take before mining starts. Once it has been determined that it is economically feasible to develop a mineral deposit, the first consideration is to see that the property is properly zoned. Rural zoning is normally under the jurisdiction of County or Township government, and the first contact should be with the County or Township Trustee’s office. Mining is usually a conditional use under an industrial zoning classification. It is becoming more common for some zoning authorities to include a mining classification in their zoning ordinance. Once the correct zoning has been established, there may be additional permits that must be obtained prior to any mining activities taking place. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administered a surface mining rule at one time. This rule was repealed in 1989. There is currently no comprehensive surface mining rule in Indiana. Specific types of construction and operation permits are required by different state and federal programs, such as air permits, water discharge permits, and Corps of Engineer permits, among others. Some counties require reclamation of mining sites (addressed in Chapter 2.) A summary table of required permits appears in Appendix C. There are a number of permits that may be required for mining under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). These would include stream relocation, stream crossing, and stream dredging, all of which are discussed in Chapter 3 and Chapter 5. The Corps of Engineers is also the lead agency where wetlands are involved. Wetlands determination, and compliance with wetlands regulation, is covered separately in Chapter 4. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is the issuing agency for stormwater discharge and NPDES permits, which cover point source discharges of water. These permits are covered in more detail in Chapter 6.

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Environmental Compliance Manual - Indiana Mineral Aggregates