Ch. 310                                           LAWS OF MARYLAND

conducive to the conservation and best utilization of the natural
resources of Maryland. The Committee shall review all mining and
reclamation plans and progress reports. It also shall set the
amount of any revegetation bond. The Committee may inspect or
have inspected any open-pit mining operation at any time in order
to determine land reclamation, conservation, and revegetation
conditions. It shall establish plans and methods of procedure as
well as practical guidelines for prompt and adequate reclamation,
conservation, and revegetation of all lands disturbed by open-pit
mining of bituminous coal within the State. These plans, methods
of procedure, and practical guidelines shall be submitted to the
Bureau. Finally, the Committee shall review the strip mining laws
of the State to assure compliance with the spirit of the subtitle
dealing with strip mining.]

(B) (1) THE COMMITTEE MAY:

(I)  STUDY AND RECOMMEND SURFACE COAL MINE
RECLAMATION POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND STANDARDS;

(II)  FROM TIME TO TIME, REVIEW THE SURFACE COAL
MINING LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF
RECOMMENDING CHANGES TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS
OF THE PROGRAM;

(III)  REVIEW PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE SURFACE
COAL MINING LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO PROVIDE COMMENTS TO THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE DEPARTMENT;

(IV)  REVIEW THE DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATION OF
THE SURFACE COAL MINING REGULATORY PROGRAM AND THE ABANDONED COAL
MINE RECLAMATION PROGRAM TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH THE PURPOSE
OF THE SUBTITLES;

(V)  ENTER ON ANY SURFACE COAL MINING OPERATION
TO DETERMINE MINING AND RECLAMATION CONDITIONS; AND

(VI)  RECOMMEND RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATION, AND
COST-SHARING PROJECTS TO PROMOTE OPTIMUM REVEGETATION OF SURFACE
COAL MINED LANDS.

(2) THE COMMITTEE SHALL:

(I)  DETERMINE THAT REVEGETATION OF RECLAIMED
SURFACE COAL MINED LAND MEETS THE REVEGETATION STANDARDS OF THE
REGULATORY PROGRAM BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT MAY RELEASE BOND HELD TO
ASSURE REVEGETATION OF THE LAND; AND

(II)  REVIEW APPROVE, REJECT, OR MODIFY
RECLAMATION PLANS FOR SURFACE COAL MINE PERMIT APPLICATIONS AND
PROVIDE COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT.

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