Terminology and Definitions
AEMA - American Exploration & Mining Association
AMD - acid mine drainage
AML - Abandoned Mine Lands
AOC - Administrative Order on Consent
ARD/ML - acid rock drainage/metal leaching
ARPA - AML Reclamation Partnership Act (H.R. 2937?)
AWAR - Advance Work Authorization Request
BLM - Bureau of Land Management
BMP - Best Management Practice
CCWF - Clear Creek Watershed Foundation
CDPHE - Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
CERCLA - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (also known as Superfund)
CMC - Colorado Mountain College
CSM - Colorado School of Mines
CWA - Clean Water Act
CY - Cubic Yards
DRMS - Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety
EE/CA - Engineering Evaluation Cost Analysis
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
FWS - Fish and Wildlife Service
GS, Good Sam - Good Samaritan
MMSA - Mining and Metallurgical Society of America
MOU - Memorandum of Understanding
NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act
NTF - Nevada Trust Fund
NFF - National Forest Foundation
NGO - Non-governmental organization
NMA - National Mining Association
NPDES - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPS - National Park Service
O&M - Operations and maintenance cost
PRP - Potentially Responsible Party
QP - Qualified Professional
RCRA - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
SHPO - State Historical Preservation Office
Superfund - See CERCLA
TSCA - Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
TU - Trout Unlimited
USFS - U.S. Forest Service
USGS - U.S. Geological Survey
USMIN - USGS mineral deposit database project
VCUP - Voluntary Cleanup and Redevelopment Program (Colorado)
WGA - Western Governors Association
WOTUS - Waters of the U.S.
WQ - Water Quality
RCRA Definitions
- Disposal
- Discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking, or placing of solid or hazardous waste into or on any land or water so that it or any constituent may enter the environment, including ground water (RCRA §1004(3))
- Solid Waste
- Garbage, refuse, sludge, other discarded material, including solid, liquid, semisolid or contained gaseous material, excluding domestic sewage (RCRA §1004(27))
- Hazardous Waste
- A solid waste or combination of solid wastes that because of quantity, concentration, physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may cause an increase in mortality or serious, irreversible illness or pose a substantial hazard to human health or the environment when improperly managed (RCRA §1004(5))
- Storage
- Containment of HW that does not constitute disposal (RCRA §1004(33))
- Treatment
- Any method, technique or process to change the physical, chemical, or biological character of any HW to neutralize or render the waste nonhazardous, safer to transport, amenable to recovery or storage or reduced in volume (RCRA § 1004(34))
