Pit & Quarry, May 2015

COMMUNI TY RELAT IONS ficials often want more flexibility when forecasting the needs of communities and municipalities so far into the future For a community to accept a reclamation plan trust is essential Hopkins says He further stresses that if a company does not have a good reputation especially for following through on promises much more scrutiny is focused on all facets of a permitting application The best way to avoid plans being viewed over critically is for a company to maintain its reputation as a good neighbor while remaining actively involved in its communities says Hopkins who adds that officials also pay considerable attention to the financial stability of the applicant To ease local concerns communities often require that bonds be posted to cover the anticipated cost of reclamation he says A recent example of a successful yet complex reclamation plan involves a California coastal based operation that To ease local concerns communities often require that bonds be posted to cover the anticipated cost of reclamation Christopher Hopkins The Saint Consulting Group worked closely with consultant Benchmark Resources to prepare its environmental impact report and its final mining and reclamation plan Benchmark provided the expertise to navigate through the layers of oversight within the county planning and coastal commissions while avoiding any costly appeals The plan included the creation of a large conservation easement Mined areas are reclaimed as a natural habitat which features sophisticated ponds for endangered red legged frogs protections for nesting raptors and migratory birds and a grading vegetation and water management plan for additional habitat ponds The operation created an annuity to pay for the care of the easement over time In the end the fully reclaimed site will serve as a very large water reservoir Permitting is a long term process and should be treated as such with proper planning and the diligence to uncover the obstacles and create a solution oriented perspective Operators may be confident that they can effectively handle every part of the process in house however more often than not they will save both time and money by reaching out to mine permitting experts P Q This article is courtesy of Telsmith Inc and it may be downloaded in full at www telsmith com Author Carol Wasson is a veteran freelance writer for the aggregates and construction equipment industries WY10 Conveyor Belt Scale WF10 Weigh Belt Feeder HY15 Conveyor Belt Scale Innovative Weighing Solutions Reliable Products Dependable Service WP25 WEIGHT PROCESSOR PROGRAM MODE BELT SPEED YES NO Visit our Website or Call Today 18005364880 1201 N Birch Lake Blvd St Paul MN 55110 www tecweigh com AUTO SPAN AUTO ZERO RESET TOTAL DISPLAY EDIT MODE TOTAL RATE TECNETICS INDUSTRIES INC ST PAUL MINNESOTA 1 800 536 4880 WY15 Conveyor Belt Scale 36 PIT QUARRY May 2015 www pitandquarry com