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MID-CONTINENT RESOURCES, INC. V LOOBY, 91 CV 177 <br /> OCTOBER 22, 1992 <br /> PAGE 10 <br /> 102(2) . The mining act carries forth the same general policies ; it <br /> aims "to protect society and the environment from the adverse <br /> effects of surface coal mining operations , " C.R. S . § 34-33-102 . In <br /> implementing the Act , MLRD must examine the "probable consequences <br /> of the surface coal mining and reclamation operations , both on and <br /> off the mine site , with respect to the hydrologic regime and the <br /> quantity and quality of water in surface and groundwater systems , <br /> including dissolved and suspended solids . . . , " C .R. S . § 34-33- <br /> 110(1) ( 1 ) . Therefore, both statutes look closely to the <br /> degradation of water quality caused by coal mining operations , and <br /> one cannot discern any real difference in their policies in this <br /> area. In effect , WQCD and MLRD should be pursuing the same <br /> results . Their cooperation in obtaining samples for their <br /> respective prosecutions reinforces the similarity of their <br /> purposes and their policies . Applying res judicata will not <br /> therefore prevent the State of Colorado from enforcing the <br /> statutory policies of preventing water pollution from coal mining <br /> operations . It will , however, eliminate dual prosecutions and <br /> create the same cooperation in concluding their prosecutions that <br /> these agencies displayed in obtaining samples to begin them. <br /> Therefore, applied to the specific facts here, the application <br /> of res judicata comports with the relevant public policy goal in <br /> each agency' s enabling legislation --- nonpolluting mining <br /> operations . In addition, it will spare the operator of duplicitous <br /> prosecutions from overlapping agencies . <br />