This tab contains the Land Quality Division's "Guidelines" for coal and non-coal operations. The following is a break down of which Guidelines apply to what type of operations (coal, non-coal or both):
Guidelines are based upon applicable provisions of the Environmental Quality Act, LQD Regulations and they contain statements of LQD policy and preferred procedures. Except for specifically referenced statutory provisions and regulations guidelines are not subject to rulemaking procedures and are therefore not to be interpreted as regulatory requirements. The documents below are guidelines only and should not be interpreted by permittees, interested parties, DEQ/LQD staff or other local, state or Federal governmental agencies as mandatory.
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All official Wyoming State Rules and Regulations are kept at the Wyoming Secretary of State's Office. Click here to view all current Rules and Regulations.
The LQD regulates the permitting of coal production in the state. The LQD's regulations include issuing a variety of permits for coal mining activities, preparing cumulative hydrologic impact assessments, and issuing annual reports on coal mining sites.
The LQD regulates the licensing and permitting of all non-coal mine production in the state. Permit forms, applications, licenses and a variety of other legal forms can be found on this section of the site.
This page contains information and forms pertaining to Limited Mining Operations (LMOs). LMO's are mining operations, "whether commercial or noncommercial, for the removal of sand, gravel, scoria, limestone, dolomite, shale, ballast or feldspar from an area of fifteen (15) acres or less of affected land, excluding roads used to access the mining operation..." (W.S. 35-11-401(e)(vi)).
Uranium mining has long been a part of Wyoming's mineral activity. The LQD handles permitting and licensing for uranium production operations; navigate this section of the website to find forms and information pertaining to uranium.
The LQD regulates minerals exploration by dozing or trenching using motorized equipment, or a suction dredge whose intake diameter is greater than 3 inches or whose motor is greater than 10 h.p. LQD does not regulate recreational exploration involving minor surface disturbances that are infrequent in nature.
The Land Quality Division (LQD) regulates blasting in surface coal mining in Wyoming, and has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wyoming Mine Inspector for all other mining operations in the state.