ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 337

authorizing the Department to provide for a certain extension for up to a certain
period by providing certain notice to an applicant prior to certain dates; and
generally relating to the application process for an open-pit strip mining permit.

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article - Environment
Section 15-501(a), (g), (n), and (t)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1996 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Environment
Section 15-505(d)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1996 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Environment

15-501.

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(g) "Department" means the Department of the Environment.

(n) (1) "Open-pit mining", "strip mining", and "surface coal mining" are
terms used interchangeably in this subtitle to mean the mining or recovery of
bituminous coal by removing the strata or material which overlies or is above the coal
deposit or seam in its natural condition, or any other recovery of coal by methods
other than deep-mining, and land affected by such activities.

(2)     These terms include methods such as contour, strip, auger, mountain
top removal, box cut, open-pit, and area mining, the use of explosives and blasting,
and in situ distillation or retorting, leaching or other chemical or physical processing,
and the cleaning, concentrating, or other processing or preparation, loading of coal at
or near the mine site.

(3)     "Open-pit mining", "strip mining", or "surface coal mining" do not
include the incidental extraction of coal at a level that does not exceed within any
calendar year 16 2/3 percent of the total cumulative production of coal and other
minerals removed from a mining area for purposes of bona fide sale or reasonable
commercial use.

(t) "Permit" means a permit to conduct open-pit mining pursuant to this
subtitle.

15-505.

(d) Procedures for review of an application shall be as follows:

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