PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor                             Ch. 469

[(y)](X) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Natural
Resources.

[(z)](Y) "Spoil pile" means the overburden and reject coal as it is piled or
deposited in open-pit mining.

7-505.

(i) (1) If the requirements of this subtitle are met and no claim is outstanding
under this subtitle against the operator, or any officer or director of a corporation, a
permit shall be issued. Any additional permit is subject to each requirement for the
original permit.

(2) However, the Bureau may not issue a strip mining permit on slopes of 20
degrees or more from the horizontal. Slope measurements shall be made every 200 feet
along the contour of the original premining natural slope beginning with the proposed
initial point of mining and including the proposed terminal point of mining. If any
200-foot section has a slope of 20 degrees or more a strip mining permit may not be
issued for that 200-foot section, except that a permit may be issued in the case of [a
previously orphaned mining operation, on slopes more than 20 degrees from the
horizontal,! LAND ELIGIBLE FOR REMINING when in the opinion of the Land
Reclamation Committee the land could be restored to its original contour.

7-511.

(a) (1) No later than the time the mining and reclamation progress report
required by § 7-507(b) is submitted, the operator shall submit a backfilling and planting
report on a form furnished by the Department for all affected areas which have been
backfilled, regraded, and planted in accordance with this subtitle and the approved
reclamation plan. The report shall provide the following information:

(i) The number of acres affected on the permit;

(ii) The number of acres backfilled and planted for the period of the
report;

(iii) The number of backfilled and planted acres previously reported;

(iv) A map showing the area of the permit being reported as backfilled
and planted; and

(v) Such other relevant information as the Department requires.

(2)     The Department shall inspect the reported area to determine if the
backfilling and planting has been done in accordance with the approved reclamation plan.
If the Department determines that the reported area has been backfilled and planted
according to the approved plan, the report shall be approved.

(3)     If the Department does not approve the backfilling and planting report,
it shall notify the operator in writing, setting forth the reasons for disapproval and
identifying the action necessary to secure approval. The operator shall take the action
necessary to secure approval of the report.

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