(a)(1) In connection with an application for a permit or lease, the superintendent shall make, or cause to be made, a technical examination of the prospective effects of the proposed exploration or surface mining operations upon the environment. The technical examination shall take into consideration the need for the preservation and protection of other resources, including cultural, recreational, scenic, historic, and ecological values; and control of erosion, flooding, and pollution of water; the isolation of toxic materials; the prevention of air pollution; the reclamation by revegetation, replacement of soil or by other means, of lands affected by the exploration or mining operations; the prevention of slides; the protection of fish and wildlife and their habitat; and the prevention of hazards to public health and safety.

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(2) A technical examination of an area should be made with the recognition that actual potential mining sites and mining operations vary widely with respect to topography, climate, surrounding land uses, proximity to densely used areas, and other environmental influences and that mining and reclamation requirements should provide sufficient flexibility to permit adjustment to local conditions.

(b) Based upon the technical examination, the superintendent shall formulate the general requirements which the applicant must meet for the protection of nonmineral resources during the conduct of exploration or mining operations and for the reclamation of lands or waters affected by exploration or mining operations. The general requirements shall be made known in writing to the applicant before the issuance of a permit or lease and upon acceptance thereof by the applicant, shall be incorporated in the permit or lease.

(c) In each instance in which an application is made the mining supervisor shall participate in the technical examination and in the formulation of the general requirements.

(d) The superintendent may prohibit or otherwise restrict operations on any part of an area whenever it is determined that such part of the area described in an application for a permit or lease is such that previous experience under similar conditions has shown that operations cannot feasibly be conducted by any known methods or measures to avoid—

(1) Rock or landslides which would be a hazard to human lives or endanger or destroy private or public property; or

(2) Substantial deposition of sediment and silt into streams, lakes, reservoirs; or

(3) A lowering of water quality below standards established by the appropriate State water pollution control agency, or by the Secretary of the Interior, or his authorized representative; or

(4) A lowering of the quality of waters whose quality exceeds that required by the established standards—unless and until it has been affirmatively demonstrated to the Secretary of the Interior, or his authorized representative, that such lowering of quality is necessary to economic and social development and will not preclude any assigned uses made of such waters; or

(5) The destruction of key wildlife habitat or important scenic, historical, or other natural or cultural features.

(e) If, on the basis of a technical examination, the superintendent determines that there is a likelihood that there will be a lowering of water quality as described in paragraphs (d) (3) and (4) of this section caused by the operation, no lease or permit shall be issued until after consultation with the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration and a finding by the Administration that the proposed operation would not be in violation of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. § 466 et seq.), or of Executive Order No. 11288 (31 FR 9261). Where a permit or lease is involved the Superintendent’s determination shall be made in consultation with the mining supervisor.