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Memo to Bob Oswald 5 December 20, 2004 Golden Wonder Mine Permit No. M-1978-091-UG b. i.Until such time as use classifications and numerical standards are adopted for the ground water on a site-specific basis throughout the state, and subject to the provisions of subsection (ii) below, ground- waterquality shall be maintained for each parameter at whichever of the following levels is less restrictive: (A) existing ambient quality as of January 31, 1994, or (B) that quality which meets the most stringent criteria set forth in Tables 1 through 4 of "The Basic Standazds for Ground Water." ii. The interim standazd shall not be interpreted or applied as defining or limiting the potential need for remediation of contaminated ground water where remedial requirements aze established under state or federal law. It is the Commission's intent that, to the maximum degree technically feasible and economically reasonable, remedial efforts should be directed at cleaning up ground water contaminated by human activities to a degree such that it is usable for all existing and potential beneficial uses; this interim narrative standard is not intended to define when such remediation is or is not feasible. Where contamination already exists, this interim standard is merely intended to assure that conditions are not allowed to deteriorate further pending remedial action. The appropriate level of clean-up to be achieved may be addressed by this Commission in a future classification and standazd-setting proceeding, or by other agencies with jurisdiction over remedial actions. iii. In applying this interim narrative standazd, the Commission intends that agencies with authority to implement this standard will exercise their best professional judgment as to what constitutes adequate information to determine or estimate existing ambient quality, taking into account the location, sampling date, and quality of all available data. Data generated subsequent to January 31, 1994, shall be presumed to be representative of existing quality as of January 31, 1994, if the available information indicates that there have been no new or increased sources of ground water contamination initiated in the area in question subsequent to that date. If available information is not adequate to otherwise determine or estimate existing ambient quality as of January 31, 1994, such ground water quality for each parameter shall be assumed to be no worse that the most stringent levels provided for in Tables 1 through 4 of "The Basic Standards for Ground Water," unless the Commission has adopted alternative numerical standazds for a given specified area. The first step in establishing a ground water compliance program for the proposed underground mining would be to determine if regulatory requirements other than the Interim Narrative Standard for ground water are applicable. In particulaz, the Operator must contact the Underground Injection Control Program at Region VIII of the Environmental Protection Agency to determine if UIC permitting will be required to re-inject ground water from any underground location to any other ground water location, and if so what limitations the permits would impose on the water to be directed into the underground boreholes. Depending on the outcome of the UIC investigation, the second step for a ground water compliance program would be to drill a well and conduct water quality sampling and analysis, and well testing, such as falling head permeability testing, to determine the rate of water flow that the Gold Quartz vein structure can accept. This initial monitoring well should be drilled at the anticipated west boundary of what will be the new permit azea, must intersect the Gold Quartz vein structure, and must be directed to an elevation that is lower than the river bottom. Based on the results from the monitoring well, the following determinations must be considered: