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1038 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 414
form shall be a Mining and Reclamation Final Report which shall
contain information identical to that required for the initial rec-
lamation plan and the annual Mining and Reclamation Progress
Report. This report shall be reviewed by the Land Reclamation
Committee and if the Committee does not approve the report, the
Director, SHALL NOTIFY THE OPERATOR IN WRITING THE
REASONS FOR REJECTING THE REPORT. THE OPERATOR
MAY REQUEST A HEARING WITHIN TEN (10) DAYS AFTER
NOTIFICATION OF THE REJECTION. THE COMMITTEE
SHALL HOLD A HEARING WITHIN TWENTY (20) DAYS OF
THE REQUEST FOR HEARING. IF AFTER THE HEARING
THE COMMITTEE STILL DISAPPROVES THE REPORT THE
DIRECTOR shall suspend the open-pit mining permit of the operator
concerned until such time as the Land Reclamation Committee does
approve the report. Failure of the Committee to act upon a report
within sixty (60) days after its submission shall constitute approval
of the report.
667.
(a) The Land Reclamation Committee shall also establish re-
vegetation bonds for each open-pit mining operation at the time of
approval of the mining and reclamation plan. The amount of these
bonds shall be based upon the estimated revegetation costs for the
area affected by said operation. These bonds shall be cash, negotiable,
surety or performance, bonds and shall not be less than fifty dollars
($50.00) nor more than one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125.00)
per acre. The bonds shall be deposited by the operator with the
Bureau of Mines and upon receipt of any such deposit the Director
shall immediately place it with the State Treasurer, whose duty it is
to receive and hold the bond in the name of the State, in trust, for
the purposes for which the deposit is made. When the Land Rec-
lamation Committee approves the Mining and Reclamation Final
Report on the operation in question the Director shall release the
bond on the area affected and upon such release the State Treasurer
shall immediately return to the operator the amount of cash or
negotiable bonds specified therein. INCLUDING THE PLANTING
REPORT FILED BY THE STATE FORESTER UNDER THE
PROVISIONS OF SECTION 668 OF THIS SUBHEADING, THE
DIRECTOR SHALL RELEASE THE BONDS IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE PROVISIONS SET FORTH IN SECTIONS 668 AND
669 OF THIS SUBHEADING.
(b) To encourage optimum revegetation the Land Reclamation
Committee may recommend to the State of Maryland that the State
participate up to fifty percent (50%) in the cost of fertilizer, lime
and seeds as may be required by an approved Mining and Rec-
lamation Plan.
(c) The Director may receive funds from any source and, upon
approval of the Land Reclamation Committee, spend said funds for
reclamation and revegetation of strip mined areas.
674.
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