HB704--MINING
SPONSOR: Woods
Thisbillmodifiesthelawsrelatingtomining.Initsmain
provisions,thebill:
(1)Increasesthefineforapartyowning,controlling,or
workingaminingshaftrefusingtoallowacountysurveyortoenter
theshaftfromnottoexceed$300tonottoexceed$1,000;
(2)Addscobalt,rareearthmineralsandsilicasandtominerals
requiringaperson,company,orcorporationtohaveobtainedan
indemnitybondbeforesinkingashaft,mine,tunnel,excavateor
driftwithinacity,town,orvillagewith1,000inhabitantsor
moreandincreasesthepenaltyfornotobtainingthebondfrom$500
to$1,000andnotlessthansixmonthsinjailtonotlessthanone
year;
(3)RequirestheDepartmentofNaturalResourcestoprovide
certainnoticeforallpermitstomineminerals;
(4)Addsaluminumtothedefinitionof"metallicminerals"forthe
purposesoftheMetallicMineralsWasteManagementAct;
(5)Modifiesthedefinitionof"mineral"andaddsthedefinition
of"wildliferefuges"forthepurposesoftheLandReclamationAct;
(6)Specifiesthatcertainrecordsrelatingtocomplaintsfiled
relatedtoanallegedviolationofpermittingrequirementsunder
theLandReclamationActaretobemadeavailablebyrequestunder
theMissouriSunshineLawwithpersonallyidentifiableinformation
ofcomplainantredacted. Currently,anysuchrecordsare
consideredconfidential;
(7)Prohibits,beginningAugust28,2025,anypersonfromengaging
inorcarryingoutaminingoperationformineralswithoutfirst
obtainingapermit.Anyonecurrentlyengaginginorcarryingouta
miningoperationmustapplyforapermitbeforeMarch1,2026;
(8)RequirestheDepartment,beforeOctober1,2025,todevelop
modelstandardsandcriteria,asspecifiedinthebill,formining,
processing,andtransportingminerals;
(9)Authorizesapoliticalsubdivisiontoenactorextendalocal
ordinancethatprohibitsneworexpandingminingoperations;
(10)RequirespermitholderstosubmitareporttotheDepartment
annuallycontainingspecifiedinformation; (11)RepealsaprovisionoflawprohibitingtheDepartmentfrom
issuingapermitforaminewithin1,000feetofcertainschools;
(12)Prohibitsexcavationorminingofanymineralorrefining,
manufacturingorrecyclingspecifiedmineralswithinonemileof
anywildliferefuge,surfacewater,StateConservationArea,State
park,Federalpark,residence,orschool;
(13)SpecifiesthattheDepartmentmustrequireproofofpublic
noticeuponacceptinganapplicationforaneworexpandingmine
permitandtheDepartmentmustacceptwrittenpubliccommentsfor
60daysafterreceiptoftheapplication;
(14)Requiresaminingpermitapplicanttosubmitamineplan,
whichincludesinformationasspecifiedinthebill,withthe
permitapplication;
(15)Withinoneweekofsubmissionofapermitapplication,the
proposedoperatormustpublishnoticeoftheapplicationina
qualifiednewspaperdailyforfourweeksorpostitontheofficial
websiteofthecountywherethelandislocated. Theoperatormust
alsosendnoticeofthepermitapplicationtocertainother
entities;
(16)RepealstheprovisionoflawsstatingthatiftheDepartment
doesnotrespondtoapermitapplicationwithin45calendardays,
theapplicationisdeemedcomplete;
(17)Increasethetimeinwhichapersonmayrequestapublic
meetingfrom15daysto30daysfromthedateofnotice;
(18)Requires,beforeOctober1,2026,theDepartmenttoestablish
andmaintainadatabaseofpoliticalsubdivisionordinancesand
permitsthathavebeenapprovedforregulationofminingprojects;
(19)Requiresaminingpermitapplicantforaprojectinvolving
silicasandto,beginningAugust28,2026,prepareandsubmitto
theDepartmentanenvironmentalassessmentworksheetiftheproject
excavates20ormoreacresoflandtoadepthof10feetormoreor
isdesignedtostoremorethan7,500tonsorhasanannual
throughputofmorethan200,000tonsofsilicasand;
(20)Requiresaminingpermitapplicantforaprojectinvolving
cobaltorrareearthmineralsto,beginningAugust28,2026,
prepareandsubmittotheDepartmentanenvironmentalassessment
worksheet; (21)RequirestheDepartmenttodevelopaseparateworksheetfor
eachofthemineralsandspecifiestheinformationthatmustbe
includedintheeachworksheet;
(22)RequirestheDepartmenttoadoptspecifiedrulespertaining
tocertainminingoperationsandalsoregulationspertainingto
reclamationofsuchmines;
(23)RequirestheDepartmentofHealthandSeniorServicesto
adoptanairqualityhealth-basedvalueforcertainminerals.
ThisbillissimilartoHB2734(2024).