WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 53
CHAPTER 16.
(Senate Bill 20)

AN ACT to add 14 new sections to Article 89 of the Anno-
tated Code of Maryland (1939 Edition), title "Statistics
and Information", to be under a new sub-title "Strip
Mining", said new sections to be known as Sections 178, 179,
180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191 and
192 of said Article, relating to certain strip mining opera-
tions except in Garrett County.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That 14 new sections be ami they are hereby added to
Article 89 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1939 Edi-
tion), title "Statistics and Information", to be under new sub-
title "Strip Mining", said new sections to be known as Sec-
tions 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189.
190, 191 and 192 of said Article, said new sections to read as
follows:

STRIP MINING

178. This sub-title shall be deemed to be an exercise of
the police powers of the State for the general welfare of
the people of the State, by providing for the conservation
and improvement of areas of land affected in the mining of
bituminous coal and fire clay by the open pit or stripping
method, to aid thereby in the protection of birds and wild
life, to enhance the value of such land for taxation, to de-
crease soil erosion, to aid in the prevention of the pollution
of rivers and streams, to prevent combustion of unmined
coal, and generally to improve the use and enjoyment of
said lands.

179. (Definitions. ) The following words and phrases,
unless a different meaning is plainly required by the con-
text, shall have the following meanings:

"Open pit mining" shall mean the mining or recovery of
bituminous coal or fire clay by removing the strata or ma-
terial which overlies or is above the coal or fire clay deposit
or seam in its natural condition.

"Pit" shall mean the place where bituminous coal or fire
clay is being mined by the open pit mining methods.

"Operation" shall mean the pit or pits located upon a
single tract of land or a continuous pit embracing or ex-
tending upon two or more contiguous tracts of land.

"Land" shall mean the surface of the land upon which
open pit mining is conducted.