N. Mineral Exploration and Extraction
1. Mineral exploration to determine the nature of extent of mineral resources shall be accomplished by hand sampling, test boring or other methods which create minimal disturbance of less than one hundred square feet of ground surface. All excavations, including test pits and holes shall be immediately capped, filled or secured by other equally effective measures, so as to restore disturbed areas and to protect the public health and safety.
2. A reclamation plan shall be filed with and approved by the Planning Board before a permit is granted.
3. Any mineral extraction operation including drainage and runoff control features shall not be located within 100 feet of the normal high water line of a water body, upland edge of a wetland or tributary stream.
4. Mineral extraction operations shall be set back a minimum of 75 feet of any property line.
5. Within twelve months following the completion of extraction operations at any extraction site which operations shall be deemed complete when less than 100 cubic yards of materials are removed in any consecutive twelve moth period, ground levels and grades shall be established in accordance with the following:
a. All debris, stumps and similar material shall be removed for disposal in an approved location or shall be buried on site. Only materials generated on-site may be buried or covered.
b. The final grade slope shall be two to one (2:1) slope or flatter. less.
c. Top soil or loam shall be retained to cover all disturbed land areas which shall be reseeded and stabilized with vegetation native to the area. Additional topsoil or loam shall be obtained from off-site sources, if necessary to complete the stabilization project.
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