GOAL:
Assure the wise use and management of available mineral resources and the remediation of extraction sites.

OBJECTIVE:
Assess character, extent and amount of available mineral resources, identify management needs and develop remediation strategies.

STATUS & TRENDS:
Naturally occurring rock, sand and gravel materials are mined in large quantities from local in-state sources and are an essential ingredient of the state's economy. If the supply of these materials is to be insured and environmental damage minimized, l ong-term management of these resources is necessary. Past and present-day land use decisions may have and can make the mineral resource unavailable, and competing land uses for the same mineral resource areas can preclude the extraction process. Present ly there is no statewide mineral and soil resource assessment and management program. These resources are consequently subject to diverse local regulation - a situation which is likely to continue. Uncontrolled mining and the absence of land reclamation in certain areas continue to cause severe environmental damage. Information on Connecticut's mineral resources such as large scale mapping and inventory of bedrock geology, surficial geology and soils is nearly complete. However, specific locations of resources haven't been mapped, there has been no evaluation of the use potential of these resources, and much of the data is not automated. Since 1987, 20 percent of the surficial materials maps have been digitized, and an aggregate demand study is currently underway as part of a regional New England effort. Draft guidelines have been completed for adoption by the towns to help improve regulation of mineral resources at the local level.

STRATEGIES:

1. Initiate an inventory and assessment to determine the extent and economic importance of the State's mineral and soil resources.
2. Evaluate availability for extraction, given current land use and zoning.
3. Evaluate proper use of these resources with respect to floodplains, wetlands and other environmental management issues.
4. Evaluate effectiveness of existing regulatory programs which manage the utilization of these resources, and, if appropriate, make recommendations to strengthen and improve them.
5. Encourage a uniform system of land development and extraction regulations through the adoption of DEP's model regulations to protect the environment, control erosion and sedimentation and assure proper reclamation of extraction sites.
6. Expand soil conservation assistance to the public and private sectors.