ORS 517.835: Conditions on operating permit or reclamation plan to prevent impact on ground water.

(1) Notwithstanding ORS 517.831, the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries may require conditions on any new or existing surface mining operating permit or reclamation plan sufficient to prevent or mitigate off-site impacts to ground water resources from the removal of water from surface mining operations. The department may include ground water monitoring as one of the conditions.

      (2) The department shall consult with the operator and the Water Resources Department in assessing off-site impacts and in developing prevention or mitigation measures prior to imposing any conditions on an operating permit or reclamation plan pursuant to this section.

      (3) As used in this section, “mitigation” has the meaning given that term in ORS 517.952.