Section 11-12 - Reclamation (a) Unless granted a variance, reclamation and restoration of a site shall commence within thirty (30) days after abandonment of the quarry operation. This requirement is not intended to prevent the permittee from conducting reclamation before abandonment of the quarrying operation. Concurrent reclamation and quarrying are encouraged. - (i) The operation will be considered abandoned if any of the following occur:
- (A) The permittee notifies the Office that the quarrying operation is abandoned;
- (B) An Exclusive Commercial Fossil Removal permittee fails to submit the minimal annual royalty on or before the anniversary of each year during the original term of the permit;
- (C) The permittee fails to file for renewal of the Fossil Removal Permit on or before its expiration date; or
- (D) No more commercially or scientifically valuable fossils remain in the quarry,
(b) The reclamation of the affected lands shall be in accordance with the following: - (i) Reclamation shall be consistent as practicable with the prequarrying land use;
- (ii) Minimally, reclamation requires all pits or quarried areas to be filled with waste rock (spoils) from the quarrying operation and regraded to blend in with the surrounding terrain. Topsoil must be redistributed evenly over the entire affected land. Seeding of topsoiled areas will be completed after October 1 or prior to May 15, depending upon local soil conditions, with an approved seed mixture, unless another period is approved by the Director;
- (iii) Without prior written approval of the Board or Office no materials shall be pushed or dumped outside the surveyed boundaries of the quarry area;
- (iv) Petroleum wastes, other toxic materials, and trash in general shall be disposed of by methods which insure that topsoil, vegetation, surface water, and ground water are not contaminated;
- (v) Final slopes shall be gentle enough to present no greater hazards to humans or animals than the premining topography and to minimize the risks of erosion; and
- (vi) All reclamation requirements shall be approved by a representative of the Office.
060-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11-12