The standards and requirements in this Section 5-16 shall apply to all mining and mineral processing operations required to obtain special use permit approval from the County, including any expansion of existing mining and/or mineral processing operations. Mining and mineral processing operations also are subject to applicable review requirements for Activities of Local and State Interest, as set forth in Section 5-4, and for Wetland Areas, as set forth in Section 5-22.

All on-site and off-site impacts shall be adequately mitigated to protect the health, safety and welfare of persons in San Miguel County and to protect the integrity and appearance of the natural environment. Consideration shall be given to site-specific environmental assessments and mitigation plans approved by the appropriate Federal agencies and/or the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology and/or the Colorado Department of Health. However, compliance with such plans, as well as additional mitigation, may be required by the County as part of the special use permit review process. Such mitigation may include, but is not limited to, revegetation, dust control, noise control, visual screening, limitations on hours of operations, truck haul routes and traffic volumes.

In the event that the County discovers that applicable state and/or federal regulations pertaining to a specific mining activity in San Miguel County have not been adequately enforced by the appropriate agency or organization, the Board of County Commissioners may require the mining activity to comply with any and all terms of such regulations. If such regulations are not complied with, the Board of County Commissioners may order such mining activity to cease and desist.

Mining (including sand and gravel operations) and mineral processing shall be limited to the greatest extent possible to areas where the surrounding road, street and/or highway network can accommodate heavy truck traffic. In no event shall a proposed operation be permitted where the carrying capacity of the surrounding road, street and/or highway network is exceeded by existing traffic volumes, or would be exceeded by projected or proposed traffic volumes.

In addition to the notice requirements set forth in Section 3-9, applicants for approval of mining and mineral processing operations shall also be required to provide written notice of a pending application by mailing such notice first class, postage prepaid, no less than twenty (20) days prior to the scheduled meeting date to all owners of property within one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet of the subject property, and to all municipalities within three (3) miles of the subject property.