HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2769

(a)  Before any person [proceeds to mine coal by the
open-pit method] CONDUCTS OPEN-PIT MINING, he shall obtain a
permit on a form furnished by the Department for each
separate operation. All permits shall require the operator
to comply with all amendments to this subtitle and rules and
regulations adopted pursuant thereto. A permit may not be
issued if the Department determines that reclamation cannot
be accomplished in accordance with the requirements of this
subtitle or rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
The permit is valid for a term not to exceed 5 years, unless
the Department suspends or cancels it prior to that time.
If an applicant demonstrates that a specified longer term is
necessary to obtain financing for equipment and opening the
operation, the Department may grant a permit for such longer
term. A permit may be renewed or amended following a
hearing as provided in subsection (d) if the permit meets
the requirements of this subtitle and rules and regulations
adopted pursuant thereto, except that a hearing is not
necessary for the approval of incidental boundary revisions.
A permit may not be transferred or assigned without written
approval from the Department. After 8 months from the date
of federal approval of the State program, a person may not
conduct open-pit mining without obtaining a permit issued
pursuant to the approved State program, except that a person
may continue to mine under a prior permit if an application
for a permit is filed within 2 months following federal
approval even if the permit has not been issued.

7-507.

(b)  An operator who continues to operate beyond one
year shall submit to the Director a new map at the end of
each year of operation. The map shall show the area affected
and reclamation progress during the preceding year. This
mining and reclamation progress report shall contain
information identical to that required for both the
reclamation plan and the final reclamation report and show
in detail the completed reclamation work. [Failure of the
committee to act on a reclamation progress report within
[60] 120 days after its submission constitutes approval of
the report.]- THE COMMITTEE SHALL REVIEW THE REPORT AND ACT
UPON IT AT A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING. The operator shall
notify the Director of the Bureau if land has not been
disturbed by any operation during the preceding year.

7-509.

(a) Within 30 days after completion of all coal
removal, backfilling, regrading, and planting on the permit,
the operator shall file with the Department a completion
report on a form the Department furnishes, which identifies
the operation and states the area of land affected by
open-pit mining, and stating whether the operator intends to
carry on deep mining on the premises. The operator shall
attach to the completion report a map of the operation