020-18 Wyo. Code R. § 18-2
It is the operator's responsibility for the submission of an application to obtain a permit in accordance with these regulations. All applications for mining permits and amendments must be submitted in a format satisfactory to the Administrator. The applicant shall provide information that is complete, current, presented clearly and concisely, and supported by appropriate references to technical and other written material. The Administrator may require the applicant to supplement the application with information beyond that specifically required by these rules if the Administrator believes that additional information is necessary to make an informed decision.
(a) In addition to the requirements of this Chapter, Chapter 2 - Coal Rules and Regulations shall apply to coal in situ mining permits and coal in situ Research and Development licenses.
(b) Applicable Sections of Chapters 8 and 27, Water Quality Division Rules and Regulations, regarding groundwater use classification, quality standards, and testing procedures, and, outside the aquifer exemption boundary, applicable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Rules ( 40 CFR 141 ) shall also apply to in situ mining or Research and Development license operations.
(c) No in situ mining operation shall commence or be conducted unless a valid mining permit or license has been issued to the operator from the Department. Applications for an In Situ Mining Permit or Research and Development license shall be filed with the Administrator of the Land Quality Division. The applicant shall file two copies of the application to the Administrator in a format required by the Administrator.
(d) The Administrator shall review the in situ mining permit or license application and determine its suitability for publication in accordance with W.S. § 35-11-406. A permit or Research and Development license shall be issued by the Director upon the recommendation of the Administrator. In meeting the requirements of W.S. 35-11-406(a)(ix) the map should extend a minimum of one mile beyond the permit boundary.
(e) Area permits shall specify the area within which underground injections or recovery operations are authorized and the requirements for construction, monitoring, reporting, operation, and abandonment for all well authorized. The area permit may authorize the permittee to construct and operate, convert, or plug and abandon wells within the area permit provided the permittee notifies the Administrator at such times as the permit requires, the additional well meets the requirements under the definition of "area permit" and this section and the cumulative effects of drilling and operation of additional injection wells are considered by the Administrator during evaluation of the permit application and are acceptable to the Administrator. The area permit does not allow for the construction of non-bonded infrastructure.
(f) Operators having an in situ mining permit or license issued before the effective date of these regulations shall present evidence demonstrating compliance with the requirements of W. S. § 35-11-426 through W.S. § 35-11-436 and this Chapter. The Administrator shall review such evidence and shall advise the operator in writing of such additional information or procedures necessary to satisfy the provisions of this Chapter and of W.S. § 35-11-426 through W.S. § 35-11-436 within one (1) year of the effective date of this Chapter.
(g) All applications shall be signed by a responsible corporate officer. All reports required by permits (including Annual Reports, Quarterly Monitoring Reports, and reports related to excursion monitoring and control) or other information required by the Administrator which pertain to Class III injection wells shall be signed by a responsible corporate officer or duly authorized representative. Any responsible corporate officer or duly authorized representative signing a document under this Section shall make the following certification:
"I certify under penalty of law that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for known violations."
- (i) "Responsible corporate officers" means:
- (A) A president, secretary, treasurer, or vice president of the corporation in charge of a principal business function, or any other person who performs policy or decision-making functions for the corporation, or
- (B) The manager of one or more manufacturing, production, or operation facilities employing more than 250 persons or having gross annual sales or expenditures exceeding $25 million (in second quarter 1980 dollars), if authority to sign documents has been assigned or delegated to the manager in accordance with corporate procedures, or
- (C) In the case of a partnership or sole proprietorship: by a general partner or the proprietor, respectively; or
- (D) For a municipality, State, Federal or other public agency: by either a principal executive officer or ranking elected official. For purposes of this section, a principal executive officer of a Federal Agency includes:
- (I) The chief executive officer of the agency, or
- (II) A senior executive officer having responsibility for the overall operations of a principal geographic unit of the agency (e.g. Regional Administrators of the EPA).
- (ii) "Duly authorized representative" means a person who is authorized to sign a document to be submitted to the Land Quality Division as part of the official record regarding an in situ mining permit or Research and Development license. A person shall quality for this title only if:
- (A) The authorization is made in writing by a responsible corporate officer;
- (B) The authorization specifies either an individual or a position having responsibility for the overall operation of the regulated facility or activity, such as the position of plant manager, operation of a well or well field, superintendent or position of equivalent responsibility.
- (C) The written authorization is submitted to the Director.
020-18 Wyo. Code R. § 18-2
Amended, Eff. 11/13/2018.