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w ~• RE.NE'dAL OF COAL MINING FACILITIES (SURFACE RUNOFF ONLY) GENERAL PERHIT IN COLORADO RATIONALE COLORADO DISCHARGE PERMIT NUMBER COG-850000 I. Update This is the first renewal of the general permit for coal mining facilities ;surface runoE~ onlr). The original permit was issued March 8, 1988, and became effective on April 8, 1988. This general permit has been of value both to permictees and the Division. Permittees who qualify are able to secure a permit in a much shorter time than is required for issuance of an individual permit. The Di•rision's permit drafting burden is lessened by the ability co issue certificacie-~.:; to the general permit for qualified facilities. II. Permit Changes SCOrmwater Management Plan - The federal effluent guidelines that govern discharges from coal mining facilities (40 CFR 434) have not changed since the original general permit was issuea. Part 434 controls most surface r+inoff from coal mining facilities chreugh limitations that apply co discharges from sedimentation ponds. This is consistent with regulations implemented by the federal Office of Surface Mining (OSM). In Colorado, the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Di+~ision (CMLRD) assures compliance with these federal requirements. The Division has determined chat Limitations beyond these are not necessary for such areas. However, these regulations do not address all sources of stormwater from coal mining facilities. Arias such as roads and railroad lines, pond outslopes, _nacti+re loadoucs, sites used for storage and maintenance of material handling eeuipment and areas for which small area exemptions have been granted era not covered by these regulations. The federal stormwater regulations, issued November 15, 1990, impact the subject facilities in some substantial ways. As they apply [o coal mining facil_ties, the stormwater regulations primarily address areas not covered by Part .::=.. Compliance with these reg+iiations may be achieved through. measures of best management practices and pollution prevention. Best management practices (BMP) means schedules of ac[i•ricies, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and ocher manag_menc practices co prevent or reduce the pollution of the watzrs of the State.