Ch. 337

2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(1)     Notwithstanding any provision of the State Government Article,
public notice on pending applications provided in accordance with the provisions of
this subtitle shall be the only notice required by law.

(2)     (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph, upon
receipt of a complete application for a permit or permit revision the Department shall
require the applicant to publish an approved advertisement of the application
submitted under subsection (c) of this section.

(ii) The public notice required in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph
shall be published at least once a week for 4 successive weeks in a newspaper of
general circulation in the county of the proposed mining operation.

(iii) The public notice required in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph
may not be required for an application for permit revision that does not propose
significant alterations in a permit in accordance with the Department's regulations.

(3)     The Department shall provide written notice of applications for
permits or permit revisions to any interested person who requests written notice.

(4)     If a public informational hearing is requested, the Department shall
notify the applicant and any person who requests the hearing of the date, time, and
location of the hearing and shall publish the date, time, and location of the hearing in
a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the proposed operation. The
Department shall hold a public informational hearing on the application. A record of
the hearing shall be made and shall be available to the public.

(5)     Any public informational hearing shall be at least 15 but not more
than 60 days after the Department provides public notice of the hearing. Members of
the public shall be provided an opportunity to comment on the application in writing
until the date of any hearing and copies of the application shall be available for public
inspection at the Department 15 days before any hearing.

(6)     The Department shall review all aspects of the application, including
information pertaining to any other permit required from the Department for the
proposed strip mining operation IN A TIMELY MANNER.

(7)     (I) Upon completion of the review required by paragraph (6) of this
subsection, the Department shall grant, require modification of, or deny the
application for a permit and notify the applicant and any participant to a public
informational hearing, in writing, of its decision:

1.       WITHIN 90 DAYS OF RECEIVING AFTER THE DATE THE
DEPARTMENT DETERMINES THAT AN APPLICATION FOR A NEW PERMIT OR AN
APPLICATION FOR PERMIT REVISION THAT PROPOSES SIGNIFICANT ALTERATIONS IN
THE PERMIT IS COMPLETE; OR

2.       WITHIN 45 DAYS OF AFTER RECEIVING:

- 2440 -