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COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT <br />Water Qualiry Corurol Division <br />WQCD-PE-B2 <br />Cherry Creek Drive South <br />Denver, Colorado 80222-1530 <br />RATIONALE <br />STORMWATER DISCHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH <br />METAL MINING OPERATIONS AND MINE-WASTE REMEDIATIDN <br />GENERAL PERMIT IN COLORADO <br />COLORADO DISCHARGE PERMIT NUMBER COR-040000 <br />L INTRODUCTION <br />The permit is for the regulation of stormwarer runo,~' associated with metal mining operations and mine-waste <br />remediation projects. The term 'metal" is used [o distinguish this permit from the general permit for coat mining with <br />surface discharge only, and the general stormwater permit for sand and gravel mining and processing (and other <br />wnmetallic minerals). Other terms are def:ncd in the permit. This Rationale will briefly explain the background of the <br />stormwater program, activities whist are courted under this permit, how to apply for coverage under this permit, and <br />the requirements of this permit. <br />IL CHANGES IN RENEWAL PERMIT <br />The following major changes have been made to this permit during renewal: <br />• A. Mine-Waste Remediation: Srormwater Management Plan ("SWMP) requirements have been added that specifically <br />address srormwtuer concerns for operations that undertake mine-waste remediation and seek eventual permit <br />cenifiuuion termination. These are described below to Section N.$ and VI.B. <br />B. Termination of Permit Covera¢e: Provisions have been added to describe the criteria and process for termination <br />of permit coverage. These are described below at Section VI.H. <br />C. SWMP Format Chanees: The SWMP contents and requirements have been amended ro eliminate redundancies. <br />SWMPs that were prepared in accordance with previous requiremems art not required to be amended ro conform <br />ro the new SWMP format. The format of the SWMP has dtanged, bur the essence of the requirements remains the <br />same. <br />D. Duplication: Redundancies between the permit and Ratonale have been reduced. <br />E. Allowable Non-Stormwater Drscharnes: Several additions have been made to the list of non-stormwater discharges <br />which are allowed undo this permit. Thesc arc described below at Seaion VI.A. <br />F. Other changes: Minor changes and clarifications have been made throughout the permit and Rationale. In <br />general, they do not affect the substance of the requiremems. <br />,III. BACKGROUND <br />The federal Clean Water Au requires that industrial storntwtter discharges be regulated under the National Pollutant <br />Discharge Elimination System ("NPDES") program. (Note: the Colorado Program is referred to as the Colorado <br />• Discharge Permit System, or CDPS, instead of NPDES.). <br />The Water Qualiry Control Division ("the Division') has stormwtuer regulations (5 CCR 1002-2, 6.1.0) in place. These <br />regulations specifically include mining operations whets starmwater has come into comact with airy overburden, raw <br />material, imermediate products, byproducts, finished products or waste products, as industrial facilities which must <br />obtain stormwarer discharge permits. <br />