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the public policy 'to conserve state waters and protect . . . the <br /> quality thereof . . . for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and <br /> recreational uses, and for other beneficial uses, taking into <br /> consideration the requirements of such uses . ' C.R.S. <br /> §25-8-102 (2) . The mining act carries forth the same general <br /> policies; it aims 'to protect society and the environment from <br /> the adverse effects of surface coal mining operations . ' <br /> C.R. S. §34-33-102 . In implementing the Act, MLRD must examine <br /> the 'probable consequences of the surface coal mining and <br /> reclamation operations, both on and off the mine site, with <br /> respect to the hydrologic regime and the quantity and quality of <br /> water in surface and groundwater systems, including dissolved and <br /> suspended solids . . . . C.R. S. §34-33-110 (1) (1) . Therefore, <br /> both statutes look closely to the degradation of water quality <br /> caused by coal mining operations, and one cannot discern any real <br /> difference in their policies in this area. In effect, WQCD and <br /> MLRD should be pursuing the same results. Their cooperation in <br /> obtaining samples for their respective prosecutions reinforces <br /> the similarity of their purposes and their policies. Applying <br /> res judicata will not therefore prevent the State of Colorado <br /> from enforcing the statutory policies of preventing water <br /> pollution from coal mining operations. It will, however, <br /> eliminate dual prosecutions and create the same cooperation in <br /> concluding their prosecutions that these agencies displayed in <br /> obtaining samples to begin them. <br /> 13 <br />