PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

Ch. 488

15-203.

(a)     The Bureau shall supervise the execution and enforcement of any law enacted
for the health and safety of persons and protection and conservation of property within,
about, or related to bituminous coal mines in the State. To this end, it shall adopt and
enforce necessary rules and regulations after giving due notice.

(b)     The Bureau shall compile, publish, and distribute to interested persons, the
mining laws and rules and regulations. The publication shall be made at reasonable times
to keep the laws and rules and regulations current. The Bureau shall keep a record of any
inspection or investigation and a copy of any official communication or record of work to
be done. It shall preserve any report, statistics, and information received relating to the
development of coal or other mining, or the enforcement of the provisions of this title.

(c)     The Bureau shall encourage and assist reasonable efforts to improve mining
methods and conditions to discover better ways to protect life and health, extend the
serviceable use of instrumentalities, and promote the prosperity of the industry by
reducing waste of natural resources and fostering economy in mining. It shall compile,
statistically analyze, and compare available data regarding coal or other mining processes
and operations, and advise any person engaged in that industry.

(d)     The Director may institute proceedings in the name of the State by an action
at law, suit in equity, or prosecution to enforce any provision of this title or any rule or
regulation. This power does not exclude any right of an interested person to invoke the
usual and ordinary process of a court against a violator of the mining laws.

(e)     The Bureau may enter and inspect any mine in order to determine its safety
condition. If the inspected mine is found unsafe or is operated in an unsafe manner, the
Bureau shall order the immediate correction of the unsafe condition. If the unsafe
condition is not corrected in the time prescribed, the Bureau shall order the mine closed
until the owner or operator makes the necessary correction.

(f)     The Bureau shall collect information in regard to mineral production and
mine output.

(g)     The [annual report required by § 1-104 of this article shall include]
DEPARTMENT SHALL REPORT ANNUALLY CONCERNING the following information for
each major watershed in Allegany and Garrett Counties, on a cumulative and annual
basis:

(1)     The total number of acres for which new or amended permits have been
issued;

(2)     The total number of acres which have been stripped;

(3)     The total number of acres which have been planted; and

(4)     The total number of acres for which the Bureau has released the
revegetation bond.

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