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Planning commission debates 50-foot buffer in surface-mining amendment to protect aquifer
Summary
County planning staff introduced a draft surface-mining amendment that would require a vertical buffer between pit floors and the aquifer (draft cites 50 feet). Commissioners pressed staff to show the scientific basis and noted variance and appeals options ahead of a May 7 hearing.
Ben Tarleton, planning manager, introduced a draft surface-mining amendment that would establish a minimum vertical buffer between pit floors and the aquifer to reduce the risk of contamination.
The draft, Tarleton said, was developed following a request from the Aquifer Protection District and would include a minimum separation figure (the draft cites 50 feet) while leaving state and federal water-quality rules in place. "What you'll see, I think, primarily of note is... it establishes a minimum buffer width between the pit floor and the elevation of the aquifer," Tarleton said.
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