retary, or for National Forest System lands, the 
Secretary of Agriculture. 
(2) Reclamation shall proceed as contemporaneously 
as practicable with the conduct of mineral activities. In 
the case of a cessation of mineral activities beyond that 
provided for as a temporary cessation under this Act, rec-
lamation activities shall begin immediately. 
(b) OPERATION AND RECLAMATION STANDARDS.— 
Mineral activities shall be conducted in accordance with 
the following standards, and any additional standards the 
Secretaries may jointly promulgate under section 301 and 
subsection (a) of this section to address specific environ-
mental impacts of selected methods of mining and to as-
sure that the direct and indirect impacts of mining are 
consistent with applicable land use plans: 
(1) SOILS.—(A) Soils, including top soils and 
subsoils removed from lands subject to mineral ac-
tivities, shall be segregated from waste material and 
protected to minimize erosion and sustain revegeta-
tion when reclamation begins. If such soil is not re-
placed on a backfill area within a time-frame short 
enough to avoid deterioration of the topsoil, vegeta-
tive cover or other means shall be used so that the 
soil is preserved from wind and water erosion, re-
mains free of contamination by acid or other toxic 
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material, and is in a usable condition for sustaining 
vegetation when restored during reclamation. 
(B) In the event the topsoil from lands subject 
to mineral activities is of insufficient quantity or of 
inferior quality for sustaining vegetation, and other 
suitable growth media removed from the lands sub-
ject to the mineral activities are available that shall 
support vegetation, the best available growth me-
dium shall be removed, segregated and preserved in 
a like manner as under subparagraph (A) for sus-
taining vegetation when restored during reclamation. 
(C) In the event the soil (other than topsoil) 
from lands subject to mineral activities is of insuffi-
cient quantity or of inferior quality for sustaining 
vegetation, and other suitable growth media removed 
from the lands subject to the mineral activities are 
available that support revegetation, these substitute 
materials shall be removed, segregated, or preserved 
in a like manner as under subparagraph (A) for 
later use in reclamation. 
(D) Mineral activities shall be conducted to pre-
vent contamination of soils to the extent possible 
using the best technology currently available. If con-
tamination occurs, the operator shall decontaminate 
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or dispose of any contaminated soils which have re-
sulted from the mineral activities. 
(2) STABILIZATION.—All surface areas subject 
to mineral activities, including segregated soils or 
other growth medium, waste material piles, ore piles, 
subgrade ore piles, and open or partially backfilled 
mine pits that meet the requirements of paragraph 
(5), shall be engineered to a stable condition to pre-
vent hazards and to effectively control fugitive dust 
and erosion and otherwise comply with toxic sub-
stance, solid waste, air and water pollution control 
laws and other environmental laws. 
(3) SEDIMENTS, EROSION, AND
DRAINAGE.— 
Facilities such as, but not limited to basins, ditches, 
stream bank stabilization, diversions or other meas-
ures, shall be designed, constructed and maintained 
where necessary to control sediments, prevent ero-
sion, and manage drainage of the area subject to 
mineral activities. 
(4) HYDROLOGIC
BALANCE.—(A) Mineral ac-
tivities shall be conducted to minimize disturbances 
to the prevailing hydrologic balance of the permit 
area and surrounding hydrologic basins affected by 
mining activities existing prior to the mineral activi-
ties in the permit area and in the surrounding wa-
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tershed, as established by the baseline information 
provided pursuant to section 303(b)(10) (relating to 
operations permits). Hydrologic balance includes the 
quality and quantity of ground water and surface 
water and their interrelationships, including re-
charge and discharge rates. In all cases, the operator 
shall comply with Federal and State laws related to 
the quality and quantity of such waters, and mineral 
activities shall not cause or contribute to violations 
of water quality standards in affected waters. 
(B) Mineral activities shall be conducted to pre-
vent to the fullest extent possible the formation of 
acidic, toxic, or other contaminated water. Where 
the formation of acidic, toxic, or other contaminated 
water occurs, mineral activities shall be conducted so 
as to minimize the formation of acidic, toxic, or 
other contaminated water and to control the spread 
of any such contamination. 
(C) Mineral activities shall prevent any damage 
off-site from contamination of surface and ground 
water with acid or other toxic mine pollutants and 
shall prevent or remove water from contact with acid 
or toxic producing deposits. 
(D) Reclamation shall restore approximate hy-
drologic balance existing prior to the mineral activi-
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ties before the applicable water quality permit issued 
under State or Federal law expires or is subject to 
renewal. 
(E) Where the quality or quantity of surface 
water or ground water used for domestic, municipal, 
agricultural, or industrial purposes is adversely im-
pacted by mineral activities, such water shall be 
treated, or replaced with the same quantity and ap-
proximate quality of water, comparable to premining 
conditions as established in paragraph (11) of sec-
tion 303(b) (relating to operations permits). 
(5) SURFACE RESTORATION.—(A) The surface 
area disturbed by mineral activities shall be shaped, 
graded, and contoured to its natural topography. 
Backfilling of an open pit mine shall be required if 
it is determined by the Secretary to be the most ap-
propriate means of controlling long-term adverse im-
pacts on public health or the environment. 
(B) In instances where complete backfilling of 
an open pit is not required, the pit shall be graded 
to blend with the surrounding topography as much 
as practicable to minimize disturbance to the hydro-
logic balance, and revegetated in accordance with 
paragraph (6), and the water quality in the pit and 
other water impoundments and wells adjacent or 
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