HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2557

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1980.

Approved May 27, 1980.

CHAPTER 740

(Senate Bill 975)

AN ACT concerning

Strip Mining

FOR the purpose of amending the strip mining subtitle of the
Natural Resources Article to more precisely conform
with the provisions of the Federal Surface Mining
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-87), so as
to provide for State program approval under that Act,
by amending the definition of strip mining; clarifying
the procedures for hearings on permit applications;
requiring the Department to deny a permit whenever the
applicant owns or controls another strip mining
operation which is in violation of any strip mining law
or other law pertaining to air or water environmental
protection; clarifying the impact of a land's
unsuitable designation; providing that strip mining
shall be prohibited in certain circumstances; providing
that all violations of this subtitle be corrected
within 90 days unless the Department determines in
writing that further time is necessary; providing for
Bureau inspections upon receipt of citizen complaints
and the right of a complainant to accompany the
inspector clarifying the inspection and reporting
provisions; establishing criminal penalties for willful
interference with any inspector; requiring that civil
penalties be assessed whenever the Bureau issues a
cease and desist order on imminent danger or
significant imminent environmental harm and that, in
any case where a civil penalty assessment is made, that
the operator must pay the assessment into escrow as a
precondition to challenging the penalty or the
underlying violation; limiting to 30 days the $750 per
day mandatory civil penalty for failure to correct a
violation within the required time; and generally
amending and clarifying the laws related to strip
mining in Maryland.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Natural Resources

Section 7-501(n), 7-505(b), (c), (d), and (h),

7-505.1(e), 7-507(a), (c) and (f), 7-511(a),

7-517(b) and (c), and 7-517.1
Annotated Code of Maryland