(1)    One year after closure, and annually thereafter until the department terminates the obligation to maintain proof of financial responsibility for long-term care of a mining waste site under sub. (2) (c), an operator who has carried out all necessary long-term care during the preceding year, may apply to the department for a reduction in the amount of the proof of financial responsibility provided under s. 295.59 (2m) equal to the costs of long-term care for that year. The operator shall provide an itemized list of costs incurred. If the department determines that the costs incurred are in accordance with the long-term care requirements in the approved waste site feasibility study and plan of operation and that adequate funds exist to complete required long-term care for the remainder of the 40-year period on which the amount of the proof of financial responsibility was originally determined, the department shall authorize in writing a reduction in the amount of proof of financial responsibility provided. The department shall make its determinations within 90 days of an application.

   (2)   

      (a)    An operator may apply to the department for termination of its obligation to maintain proof of financial responsibility for long-term care of the mining waste site under s. 295.59 (2m) at any time after the mining waste site has been closed for 20 years by submitting an application that demonstrates that continuation of the obligation to maintain proof of financial responsibility for long-term care is not necessary for adequate protection of public health or the environment. The burden is on the operator to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that continuation of the obligation to maintain proof of financial responsibility for long-term care is not necessary for adequate protection of public health or the environment.

      (b)    Within 30 days of receiving an application under par. (a), the department shall provide notice to the public of the application for termination of the obligation to maintain proof of financial responsibility for long-term care. In the notice, the department shall invite the submission of written comments by any person on the application within 30 days of the date of the publication of the notice. The department shall provide the notice by publishing a class 1 notice under ch. 985 in the official newspaper designated under s. 985.04 or 985.05 or, if none exists, in a newspaper likely to give notice in the area of the mining waste site, and shall publish notice on the department’s Internet site. The date on which the department first publishes the notice on its Internet site shall be considered the date of the publication of the notice required to be published under this paragraph. The department shall also send the notice to the operator.

      (c)    Within 120 days of the date of the publication of the notice under par. (b), the department shall determine either that proof of financial responsibility for long-term care of the mining waste site is no longer required, in which case the applicant is relieved of the responsibility of providing proof of financial responsibility for long-term care, or that proof of financial responsibility for long-term care of the mining waste site is still required, in which case the applicant may not submit another application under par. (a) until at least 5 years have elapsed since the previous application.