SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 27


2. Role of Mining Permit
 "The mining permit should be the department's primary management
tool for peat mining. The four principal state permits required for peat
mining-the mining permit, NPDES permit, air quality permit, and water
use permit-should be processed as a package.
 "A public scoping meeting should be held on each package where
there is significant public interest to identify the specific issues to be
addressed in the permit applications and supporting information. A coor-
dinated public hearing should be held on these draft permits in each
package before they are issued.
 "The laws requiring these permits allow the State to require submis-
sion of detailed analyses of environmental impacts as part of the permit
applications and this should be required in all cases. While the informa-
tion submittal need not be in the same format as a formal environmental
impact statement, it should be detailed and complete enough to provide
the department with sufficient information to assess the impacts of the
proposed project prior to a permit decision. A standard set of information
requirements for this analysis should be prepared by the Division of Land
Resources in close coordination with all other affected division, and sup-
plied to applicants early in preapplication counseling.
 "Under the Mining Act of 1971, the significant impacts of peat mining
can be addressed by a mining permit. Table III (in Chapter IV) identifies
these issues and specifies which permits cover them directly and indi-
rectly. The requirements of the other permits can and should be incorpo-
rated into the mining permit, strengthening its umbrella or coordinating
role.
 "Treating the four permits for a peat mine as a package will ensure that
all significant impacts will be addressed in a timely and consistent man-
ner. It will also increase the predictability of the permitting schedule. The
most efficient possible use of specialized resources in all for example,
DEM's water quality expertise is needed to advise Land Resources on
specific water quality issues and conditions which must be handled in
the mining permit. Different statutory timetables for various permits and
the variations with individual projects may make complete coordination
impossible. Natural Resources Planning and Assessment, on behalf of
the Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources, should prepare a detailed
flow chart of permit hearing, meeting, and decision deadlines for each
proposed peat mine operation. The department's existing peat permit
application review group can extend its function to review the four-
permit package with little change of membership.
 "The package concept will also enhance the opportunities for public
involvement in the permitting process for peat mines. Shortly after appli-
cations for a peat mine are received, a public scoping meeting may be
convened by the department to discuss the questions and issues which
should be addressed in reviewing permit applications. The scoping meet-
ing, which is not required by statute, represents an innovation for dealing