Bill Text: OH HB163 | 2011-2012 | 129th General Assembly | Enrolled

Ohio House Bill 163 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: To revise the coal mining laws regarding permit application, set-back, and alternative water treatment or supply requirements.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 35-7)

Status: (Passed) 2011-09-30 - Effective Date [HB163 Detail]

Download: Ohio-2011-HB163-Enrolled.html

(129th General Assembly) (Amended Substitute House Bill Number 163)

AN ACT

To amend sections 1513.07, 1513.073, 1513.075, 1513.081, 1513.16, 1513.18, and 1513.371 of the Revised Code to revise the coal mining laws regarding permit application, set-back, and alternative water treatment or supply requirements.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That sections 1513.07, 1513.073, 1513.075, 1513.081, 1513.16, 1513.18, and 1513.371 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1513.07. (A)(1) No operator shall conduct a coal mining operation without a permit for the operation issued by the chief of the division of mineral resources management.

(2) All permits issued pursuant to this chapter shall be issued for a term not to exceed five years, except that, if the applicant demonstrates that a specified longer term is reasonably needed to allow the applicant to obtain necessary financing for equipment and the opening of the operation and if the application is full and complete for the specified longer term, the chief may grant a permit for the longer term. A successor in interest to a permittee who applies for a new permit within thirty days after succeeding to the interest and who is able to obtain the performance security of the original permittee may continue coal mining and reclamation operations according to the approved mining and reclamation plan of the original permittee until the successor's application is granted or denied.

(3) A permit shall terminate if the permittee has not commenced the coal mining operations covered by the permit within three years after the issuance of the permit, except that the chief may grant reasonable extensions of the time upon a showing that the extensions are necessary by reason of litigation precluding the commencement or threatening substantial economic loss to the permittee or by reason of conditions beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the permittee, and except that with respect to coal to be mined for use in a synthetic fuel facility or specified major electric generating facility, the permittee shall be deemed to have commenced coal mining operations at the time construction of the synthetic fuel or generating facility is initiated.

(4)(a) Any permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall carry with it the right of successive renewal upon expiration with respect to areas within the boundaries of the permit. The holders of the permit may apply for renewal and the renewal shall be issued unless the chief determines by written findings, subsequent to fulfillment of the public notice requirements of this section and section 1513.071 of the Revised Code through demonstrations by opponents of renewal or otherwise, that one or more of the following circumstances exists:

(i) The terms and conditions of the existing permit are not being satisfactorily met.

(ii) The present coal mining and reclamation operation is not in compliance with the environmental protection standards of this chapter.

(iii) The renewal requested substantially jeopardizes the operator's continuing responsibilities on existing permit areas.

(iv) The applicant has not provided evidence that the performance security in effect for the operation will continue in effect for any renewal requested in the application.

(v) Any additional, revised, or updated information required by the chief has not been provided. Prior to the approval of any renewal of a permit, the chief shall provide notice to the appropriate public authorities as prescribed by rule of the chief.

(b) If an application for renewal of a valid permit includes a proposal to extend the mining operation beyond the boundaries authorized in the existing permit, the portion of the application for renewal of a valid permit that addresses any new land areas shall be subject to the full standards applicable to new applications under this chapter.

(c) A permit renewal shall be for a term not to exceed the period of the original permit established by this chapter. Application for permit renewal shall be made at least one hundred twenty days prior to the expiration of the valid permit.

(5) A permit issued pursuant to this chapter does not eliminate the requirements for obtaining a permit to install or modify a disposal system or any part thereof or to discharge sewage, industrial waste, or other wastes into the waters of the state in accordance with Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) The permit application shall be submitted in a manner satisfactory to the chief and shall contain, among other things, all of the following:

(a) The names and addresses of all of the following:

(i) The permit applicant;

(ii) Every legal owner of record of the property, surface and mineral, to be mined;

(iii) The holders of record of any leasehold interest in the property;

(iv) Any purchaser of record of the property under a real estate contract;

(v) The operator if different from the applicant;

(vi) If any of these are business entities other than a single proprietor, the names and addresses of the principals, officers, and statutory agent for service of process.

(b) The names and addresses of the owners of record of all surface and subsurface areas adjacent to any part of the permit area;

(c) A statement of any current or previous coal mining permits in the United States held by the applicant, the permit identification, and any pending applications;

(d) If the applicant is a partnership, corporation, association, or other business entity, the following where applicable: the names and addresses of every officer, partner, director, or person performing a function similar to a director, of the applicant, the name and address of any person owning, of record, ten per cent or more of any class of voting stock of the applicant, a list of all names under which the applicant, partner, or principal shareholder previously operated a coal mining operation within the United States within the five-year period preceding the date of submission of the application, and a list of the person or persons primarily responsible for ensuring that the applicant complies with the requirements of this chapter and rules adopted pursuant thereto while mining and reclaiming under the permit;

(e) A statement of whether the applicant, any subsidiary, affiliate, or persons controlled by or under common control with the applicant, any partner if the applicant is a partnership, any officer, principal shareholder, or director if the applicant is a corporation, or any other person who has a right to control or in fact controls the management of the applicant or the selection of officers, directors, or managers of the applicant:

(i) Has ever held a federal or state coal mining permit that in the five-year period prior to the date of submission of the application has been suspended or revoked or has had a coal mining bond, performance security, or similar security deposited in lieu of bond forfeited and, if so, a brief explanation of the facts involved;

(ii) Has been an officer, partner, director, principal shareholder, or person having the right to control or has in fact controlled the management of or the selection of officers, directors, or managers of a business entity that has had a coal mining or surface mining permit that in the five-year period prior to the date of submission of the application has been suspended or revoked or has had a coal mining or surface mining bond, performance security, or similar security deposited in lieu of bond forfeited and, if so, a brief explanation of the facts involved.

(f) A copy of the applicant's advertisement to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality of the proposed site at least once a week for four successive weeks, which shall include the ownership of the proposed mine, a description of the exact location and boundaries of the proposed site sufficient to make the proposed operation readily identifiable by local residents, and the location where the application is available for public inspection;

(g) A description of the type and method of coal mining operation that exists or is proposed, the engineering techniques proposed or used, and the equipment used or proposed to be used;

(h) The anticipated or actual starting and termination dates of each phase of the mining operation and number of acres of land to be affected;

(i) An accurate map or plan, to an appropriate scale, clearly showing the land to be affected and the land upon which the applicant has the legal right to enter and commence coal mining operations, copies of those documents upon which is based the applicant's legal right to enter and commence coal mining operations, and a statement whether that right is the subject of pending litigation. This chapter does not authorize the chief to adjudicate property title disputes.

(j) The name of the watershed and location of the surface stream or tributary into which drainage from the operation will be discharged;

(k) A determination of the probable hydrologic consequences of the mining and reclamation operations, both on and off the mine site, with respect to the hydrologic regime, providing information on the quantity and quality of water in surface and ground water systems including the dissolved and suspended solids under seasonal flow conditions and the collection of sufficient data for the mine site and surrounding areas so that an assessment can be made by the chief of the probable cumulative impacts of all anticipated mining in the area upon the hydrology of the area and particularly upon water availability, but this determination shall not be required until hydrologic information of the general area prior to mining is made available from an appropriate federal or state agency; however, the permit shall not be approved until the information is available and is incorporated into the application;

(l) When requested by the chief, the climatological factors that are peculiar to the locality of the land to be affected, including the average seasonal precipitation, the average direction and velocity of prevailing winds, and the seasonal temperature ranges;

(m) Accurate maps prepared by or under the direction of and certified by a qualified registered professional engineer, registered surveyor, or licensed landscape architect to an appropriate scale clearly showing all types of information set forth on topographical maps of the United States geological survey of a scale of not more than four hundred feet to the inch, including all artificial features and significant known archeological sites. The map, among other things specified by the chief, shall show all boundaries of the land to be affected, the boundary lines and names of present owners of record of all surface areas abutting the permit area, and the location of all buildings within one thousand feet of the permit area.

(n)(i) Cross-section maps or plans of the land to be affected including the actual area to be mined, prepared by or under the direction of and certified by a qualified registered professional engineer or certified professional geologist with assistance from experts in related fields such as hydrology, hydrogeology, geology, and landscape architecture, showing pertinent elevations and locations of test borings or core samplings and depicting the following information: the nature and depth of the various strata of overburden; the nature and thickness of any coal or rider seam above the coal seam to be mined; the nature of the stratum immediately beneath the coal seam to be mined; all mineral crop lines and the strike and dip of the coal to be mined within the area to be affected; existing or previous coal mining limits; the location and extent of known workings of any underground mines, including mine openings to the surface; the location of spoil, waste, or refuse areas and topsoil preservation areas; the location of all impoundments for waste or erosion control; any settling or water treatment facility; constructed or natural drainways and the location of any discharges to any surface body of water on the land to be affected or adjacent thereto; profiles at appropriate cross sections of the anticipated final surface configuration that will be achieved pursuant to the operator's proposed reclamation plan; the location of subsurface water, if encountered; the location and quality of aquifers; and the estimated elevation of the water table. Registered surveyors shall be allowed to perform all plans, maps, and certifications under this chapter as they are authorized under Chapter 4733. of the Revised Code.

(ii) A statement of the quality and locations of subsurface water. The chief shall provide by rule the number of locations to be sampled, frequency of collection, and parameters to be analyzed to obtain the statement required.

(o) A statement of the results of test borings or core samplings from the permit area, including logs of the drill holes, the thickness of the coal seam found, an analysis of the chemical properties of the coal, the sulfur content of any coal seam, chemical analysis of potentially acid or toxic forming sections of the overburden, and chemical analysis of the stratum lying immediately underneath the coal to be mined, except that this division may be waived by the chief with respect to the specific application by a written determination that its requirements are unnecessary. If the test borings or core samplings from the permit area indicate the existence of potentially acid forming or toxic forming quantities of sulfur in the coal or overburden to be disturbed by mining, the application also shall include a statement of the acid generating potential and the acid neutralizing potential of the rock strata to be disturbed as calculated in accordance with the calculation method established under section 1513.075 of the Revised Code or with another calculation method.

(p) For those lands in the permit application that a reconnaissance inspection suggests may be prime farmlands, a soil survey shall be made or obtained according to standards established by the secretary of the United States department of agriculture in order to confirm the exact location of the prime farmlands, if any;

(q) A certificate issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in this state certifying that the applicant has a public liability insurance policy in force for the coal mining and reclamation operations for which the permit is sought or evidence that the applicant has satisfied other state self-insurance requirements. The policy shall provide for personal injury and property damage protection in an amount adequate to compensate any persons damaged as a result of coal mining and reclamation operations, including the use of explosives, and entitled to compensation under the applicable provisions of state law. The policy shall be maintained in effect during the term of the permit or any renewal, including the length of all reclamation operations. The insurance company shall give prompt notice to the permittee and the chief if the public liability insurance policy lapses for any reason including the nonpayment of insurance premiums. Upon the lapse of the policy, the chief may suspend the permit and all other outstanding permits until proper insurance coverage is obtained.

(r) The business telephone number of the applicant;

(s) If the applicant seeks an authorization under division (E)(7) of this section to conduct coal mining and reclamation operations on areas to be covered by the permit that were affected by coal mining operations before August 3, 1977, that have resulted in continuing water pollution from or on the previously mined areas, such additional information pertaining to those previously mined areas as may be required by the chief, including, without limitation, maps, plans, cross sections, data necessary to determine existing water quality from or on those areas with respect to pH, iron, and manganese, and a pollution abatement plan that may improve water quality from or on those areas with respect to pH, iron, and manganese.

(2) Information pertaining to coal seams, test borings, core samplings, or soil samples as required by this section shall be made available by the chief to any person with an interest that is or may be adversely affected, except that information that pertains only to the analysis of the chemical and physical properties of the coal, excluding information regarding mineral or elemental content that is potentially toxic in the environment, shall be kept confidential and not made a matter of public record.

(3)(a) If the chief finds that the probable total annual production at all locations of any operator will not exceed three hundred thousand tons, the following activities, upon the written request of the operator in connection with a permit application, shall be performed by a qualified public or private laboratory or another public or private qualified entity designated by the chief, and the cost of the activities shall be assumed by the chief, provided that sufficient moneys for such assistance are available:

(i) The determination of probable hydrologic consequences required under division (B)(1)(k) of this section;

(ii) The development of cross-section maps and plans required under division (B)(1)(n)(i) of this section;

(iii) The geologic drilling and statement of results of test borings and core samplings required under division (B)(1)(o) of this section;

(iv) The collection of archaeological information required under division (B)(1)(m) of this section and any other archaeological and historical information required by the chief, and the preparation of plans necessitated thereby;

(v) Pre-blast surveys required under division (E) of section 1513.161 of the Revised Code;

(vi) The collection of site-specific resource information and production of protection and enhancement plans for fish and wildlife habitats and other environmental values required by the chief under this chapter.

(b) A coal operator that has received assistance under division (B)(3)(a) of this section shall reimburse the chief for the cost of the services rendered if the chief finds that the operator's actual and attributed annual production of coal for all locations exceeds three hundred thousand tons during the twelve months immediately following the date on which the operator was issued a coal mining and reclamation permit.

(4) Each applicant for a permit shall submit to the chief as part of the permit application a reclamation plan that meets the requirements of this chapter.

(5) Each applicant for a coal mining and reclamation permit shall file a copy of the application for a permit, excluding that information pertaining to the coal seam itself, for public inspection with the county recorder or an appropriate public office approved by the chief in the county where the mining is proposed to occur.

(6) Each applicant for a coal mining and reclamation permit shall submit to the chief as part of the permit application a blasting plan that describes the procedures and standards by which the operator will comply with section 1513.161 of the Revised Code.

(C) Each reclamation plan submitted as part of a permit application shall include, in the detail necessary to demonstrate that reclamation required by this chapter can be accomplished and in the detail necessary for the chief to determine the estimated cost of reclamation if the reclamation has to be performed by the division of mineral resources management in the event of forfeiture of the performance security by the applicant, a statement of:

(1) The identification of the lands subject to coal mining operations over the estimated life of those operations and the size, sequence, and timing of the subareas for which it is anticipated that individual permits for mining will be sought;

(2) The condition of the land to be covered by the permit prior to any mining, including all of the following:

(a) The uses existing at the time of the application and, if the land has a history of previous mining, the uses that preceded any mining;

(b) The capability of the land prior to any mining to support a variety of uses, giving consideration to soil and foundation characteristics, topography, and vegetative cover and, if applicable, a soil survey prepared pursuant to division (B)(1)(p) of this section;

(c) The productivity of the land prior to mining, including appropriate classification as prime farmlands as well as the average yield of food, fiber, forage, or wood products obtained from the land under high levels of management.

(3) The use that is proposed to be made of the land following reclamation, including information regarding the utility and capacity of the reclaimed land to support a variety of alternative uses, the relationship of the proposed use to existing land use policies and plans, and the comments of any owner of the land and state and local governments or agencies thereof that would have to initiate, implement, approve, or authorize the proposed use of the land following reclamation;

(4) A detailed description of how the proposed postmining land use is to be achieved and the necessary support activities that may be needed to achieve the proposed land use;

(5) The engineering techniques proposed to be used in mining and reclamation and a description of the major equipment; a plan for the control of surface water drainage and of water accumulation; a plan, where appropriate, for backfilling, soil stabilization, and compacting, grading, and appropriate revegetation; a plan for soil reconstruction, replacement, and stabilization, pursuant to the performance standards in section 1513.16 of the Revised Code, for those food, forage, and forest lands identified in that section; and a statement as to how the permittee plans to comply with each of the requirements set out in section 1513.16 of the Revised Code;

(6) A description of the means by which the utilization and conservation of the solid fuel resource being recovered will be maximized so that reaffecting the land in the future can be minimized;

(7) A detailed estimated timetable for the accomplishment of each major step in the reclamation plan;

(8) A description of the degree to which the coal mining and reclamation operations are consistent with surface owner plans and applicable state and local land use plans and programs;

(9) The steps to be taken to comply with applicable air and water quality laws and regulations and any applicable health and safety standards;

(10) A description of the degree to which the reclamation plan is consistent with local physical, environmental, and climatological conditions;

(11) A description of all lands, interests in lands, or options on such interests held by the applicant or pending bids on interests in lands by the applicant, which lands are contiguous to the area to be covered by the permit;

(12) The results of test borings that the applicant has made at the area to be covered by the permit, or other equivalent information and data in a form satisfactory to the chief, including the location of subsurface water, and an analysis of the chemical properties, including acid forming properties of the mineral and overburden; except that information that pertains only to the analysis of the chemical and physical properties of the coal, excluding information regarding mineral or elemental contents that are potentially toxic in the environment, shall be kept confidential and not made a matter of public record;

(13) A detailed description of the measures to be taken during the mining and reclamation process to ensure the protection of all of the following:

(a) The quality of surface and ground water systems, both on- and off-site, from adverse effects of the mining and reclamation process;

(b) The rights of present users to such water;

(c) The quantity of surface and ground water systems, both on- and off-site, from adverse effects of the mining and reclamation process or, where such protection of quantity cannot be assured, provision of alternative sources of water.

(14) Any other requirements the chief prescribes by rule.

(D)(1) Any information required by division (C) of this section that is not on public file pursuant to this chapter shall be held in confidence by the chief.

(2) With regard to requests for an exemption from the requirements of this chapter for coal extraction incidental to the extraction of other minerals, as described in division (H)(1)(a) of section 1513.01 of the Revised Code, confidential information includes and is limited to information concerning trade secrets or privileged commercial or financial information relating to the competitive rights of the persons intending to conduct the extraction of minerals.

(E)(1) Upon the basis of a complete mining application and reclamation plan or a revision or renewal thereof, as required by this chapter, and information obtained as a result of public notification and public hearing, if any, as provided by section 1513.071 of the Revised Code, the chief shall grant, require modification of, or deny the application for a permit and notify the applicant in writing in accordance with division (I)(3) of this section. An application is deemed to be complete as submitted to the chief unless the chief, within fourteen days of the submission, identifies deficiencies in the application in writing and subsequently submits a copy of a written list of deficiencies to the applicant.

A decision of the chief denying a permit shall state in writing the specific reasons for the denial.

The applicant for a permit or revision of a permit has the burden of establishing that the application is in compliance with all the requirements of this chapter. Within ten days after the granting of a permit, the chief shall notify the boards of township trustees and county commissioners, the mayor, and the legislative authority in the township, county, and municipal corporation in which the area of land to be affected is located that a permit has been issued and shall describe the location of the land. However, failure of the chief to notify the local officials shall not affect the status of the permit.

(2) No permit application or application for revision of an existing permit shall be approved unless the application affirmatively demonstrates and the chief finds in writing on the basis of the information set forth in the application or from information otherwise available, which shall be documented in the approval and made available to the applicant, all of the following:

(a) The application is accurate and complete and all the requirements of this chapter have been complied with.

(b) The applicant has demonstrated that the reclamation required by this chapter can be accomplished under the reclamation plan contained in the application.

(c)(i) Assessment of the probable cumulative impact of all anticipated mining in the general and adjacent area on the hydrologic balance specified in division (B)(1)(k) of this section has been made by the chief, and the proposed operation has been designed to prevent material damage to hydrologic balance outside the permit area.

(ii) There shall be an ongoing process conducted by the chief in cooperation with other state and federal agencies to review all assessments of probable cumulative impact of coal mining in light of post-mining data and any other hydrologic information as it becomes available to determine if the assessments were realistic. The chief shall take appropriate action as indicated in the review process.

(d) The area proposed to be mined is not included within an area designated unsuitable for coal mining pursuant to section 1513.073 of the Revised Code or is not within an area under study for such designation in an administrative proceeding commenced pursuant to division (A)(3)(c) or (B) of section 1513.073 of the Revised Code unless in an area as to which an administrative proceeding has commenced pursuant to division (A)(3)(c) or (B) of section 1513.073 of the Revised Code, the operator making the permit application demonstrates that, prior to January 1, 1977, the operator made substantial legal and financial commitments in relation to the operation for which a permit is sought.

(e) In cases where the private mineral estate has been severed from the private surface estate and surface disturbance will result from the applicant's proposed use of a strip mining method, the applicant has submitted to the chief one of the following:

(i) The written consent of the surface owner to the surface disturbance that will result from the extraction of coal by the applicant's proposed strip mining ~~methods~~ method;

(ii) A conveyance that expressly grants or reserves the right to extract the coal by strip mining methods that cause surface disturbance;

(iii) If the conveyance does not expressly grant the right to extract coal by strip mining methods that cause surface disturbance, the surface-subsurface legal relationship concerning surface disturbance shall be determined under the law of this state. This chapter does not authorize the chief to adjudicate property rights disputes.

(3)(a) The applicant shall file with the permit application a schedule listing all notices of violations of any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or of any department or agency thereof or of any state pertaining to air or water environmental protection incurred by the applicant in connection with any coal mining operation during the three-year period prior to the date of application. The schedule also shall indicate the final resolution of such a notice of violation. Upon receipt of an application, the chief shall provide a schedule listing all notices of violations of this chapter pertaining to air or water environmental protection incurred by the applicant during the three-year period prior to receipt of the application and the final resolution of all such notices of violation. The chief shall provide this schedule to the applicant for filing by the applicant with the application filed for public review, as required by division (B)(5) of this section. When the schedule or other information available to the chief indicates that any coal mining operation owned or controlled by the applicant is currently in violation of such laws, the permit shall not be issued until the applicant submits proof that the violation has been corrected or is in the process of being corrected to the satisfaction of the regulatory authority, department, or agency that has jurisdiction over the violation and that any civil penalties owed to the state for a violation and not the subject of an appeal have been paid. No permit shall be issued to an applicant after a finding by the chief that the applicant or the operator specified in the application controls or has controlled mining operations with a demonstrated pattern of willful violations of this chapter of a nature and duration to result in irreparable damage to the environment as to indicate an intent not to comply with or a disregard of this chapter.

(b) For the purposes of division (E)(3)(a) of this section, any violation resulting from an unanticipated event or condition at a surface coal mining operation on lands eligible for remining under a permit held by the person submitting an application for a coal mining permit under this section shall not prevent issuance of that permit. As used in this division, "unanticipated event or condition" means an event or condition encountered in a remining operation that was not contemplated by the applicable surface coal mining and reclamation permit.

(4)(a) In addition to finding the application in compliance with division (E)(2) of this section, if the area proposed to be mined contains prime farmland as determined pursuant to division (B)(1)(p) of this section, the chief, after consultation with the secretary of the United States department of agriculture and pursuant to regulations issued by the secretary of the interior with the concurrence of the secretary of agriculture, may grant a permit to mine on prime farmland if the chief finds in writing that the operator has the technological capability to restore the mined area, within a reasonable time, to equivalent or higher levels of yield as nonmined prime farmland in the surrounding area under equivalent levels of management and can meet the soil reconstruction standards in section 1513.16 of the Revised Code.

(b) Division (E)(4)(a) of this section does not apply to a permit issued prior to August 3, 1977, or revisions or renewals thereof.

(5) The chief shall issue an order denying a permit after finding that the applicant has misrepresented or omitted any material fact in the application for the permit.

(6) The chief may issue an order denying a permit after finding that the applicant, any partner, if the applicant is a partnership, any officer, principal shareholder, or director, if the applicant is a corporation, or any other person who has a right to control or in fact controls the management of the applicant or the selection of officers, directors, or managers of the applicant has been a sole proprietor or partner, officer, director, principal shareholder, or person having the right to control or has in fact controlled the management of or the selection of officers, directors, or managers of a business entity that ever has had a coal mining license or permit issued by this or any other state or the United States suspended or revoked, ever has forfeited a coal or surface mining bond, performance security, or similar security deposited in lieu of bond in this or any other state or with the United States, or ever has substantially or materially failed to comply with this chapter.

(7) When issuing a permit under this section, the chief may authorize an applicant to conduct coal mining and reclamation operations on areas to be covered by the permit that were affected by coal mining operations before August 3, 1977, that have resulted in continuing water pollution from or on the previously mined areas for the purpose of potentially reducing the pollution loadings of pH, iron, and manganese from discharges from or on the previously mined areas. Following the chief's authorization to conduct such operations on those areas, the areas shall be designated as pollution abatement areas for the purposes of this chapter.

The chief shall not grant an authorization under division (E)(7) of this section to conduct coal mining and reclamation operations on any such previously mined areas unless the applicant demonstrates to the chief's satisfaction that all of the following conditions are met:

(a) The applicant's pollution abatement plan for mining and reclaiming the previously mined areas represents the best available technology economically achievable.

(b) Implementation of the plan will potentially reduce pollutant loadings of pH, iron, and manganese resulting from discharges of surface waters or ground water from or on the previously mined areas within the permit area.

(c) Implementation of the plan will not cause any additional degradation of surface water quality off the permit area with respect to pH, iron, and manganese.

(d) Implementation of the plan will not cause any additional degradation of ground water.

(e) The plan meets the requirements governing mining and reclamation of such previously mined pollution abatement areas established by the chief in rules adopted under section 1513.02 of the Revised Code.

(f) Neither the applicant; any partner, if the applicant is a partnership; any officer, principal shareholder, or director, if the applicant is a corporation; any other person who has a right to control or in fact controls the management of the applicant or the selection of officers, directors, or managers of the applicant; nor any contractor or subcontractor of the applicant, has any of the following:

(i) Responsibility or liability under this chapter or rules adopted under it as an operator for treating the discharges of water pollutants from or on the previously mined areas for which the authorization is sought;

(ii) Any responsibility or liability under this chapter or rules adopted under it for reclaiming the previously mined areas for which the authorization is sought;

(iii) During the eighteen months prior to submitting the permit application requesting an authorization under division (E)(7) of this section, had a coal mining and reclamation permit suspended or revoked under division (D)(3) of section 1513.02 of the Revised Code for violating this chapter or Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code or rules adopted under them with respect to water quality, effluent limitations, or surface or ground water monitoring;

(iv) Ever forfeited a coal or surface mining bond, performance security, or similar security deposited in lieu of a bond in this or any other state or with the United States.

(8) In the case of the issuance of a permit that involves a conflict of results between various methods of calculating potential acidity and neutralization potential for purposes of assessing the potential for acid mine drainage to occur at a mine site, the permit shall include provisions for monitoring and record keeping to identify the creation of unanticipated acid water at the mine site. If the monitoring detects the creation of acid water at the site, the permit shall impose on the permittee additional requirements regarding mining practices and site reclamation to prevent the discharge of acid mine drainage from the mine site. As used in division (E)(8) of this section, "potential acidity" and "neutralization potential" have the same meanings as in section 1513.075 of the Revised Code.

(F)(1) During the term of the permit, the permittee may submit an application for a revision of the permit, together with a revised reclamation plan, to the chief.

(2) An application for a revision of a permit shall not be approved unless the chief finds that reclamation required by this chapter can be accomplished under the revised reclamation plan. The revision shall be approved or disapproved within ninety days after receipt of a complete revision application. The chief shall establish, by rule, criteria for determining the extent to which all permit application information requirements and procedures, including notice and hearings, shall apply to the revision request, except that any revisions that propose significant alterations in the reclamation plan, at a minimum, shall be subject to notice and hearing requirements.

(3) Any extensions to the area covered by the permit except incidental boundary revisions shall be made by application for a permit.

(G) No transfer, assignment, or sale of the rights granted under a permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall be made without the written approval of the chief.

(H) The chief, within a time limit prescribed in the chief's rules, shall review outstanding permits and may require reasonable revision or modification of a permit. A revision or modification shall be based upon a written finding and subject to notice and hearing requirements established by rule of the chief.

(I)(1) If an informal conference has been held pursuant to section 1513.071 of the Revised Code, the chief shall issue and furnish the applicant for a permit, persons who participated in the informal conference, and persons who filed written objections pursuant to division (B) of section 1513.071 of the Revised Code, with the written finding of the chief granting or denying the permit in whole or in part and stating the reasons therefor within sixty days of the conference, provided that the chief shall comply with the time frames established in division (I)(3) of this section.

(2) If there has been no informal conference held pursuant to section 1513.071 of the Revised Code, the chief shall submit to the applicant for a permit the written finding of the chief granting or denying the permit in whole or in part and stating the reasons therefor within the time frames established in division (I)(3) of this section.

(3) The chief shall grant or deny a permit not later than two hundred forty days after the submission of a complete application for the permit. Any time during which the applicant is making revisions to an application or providing additional information requested by the chief regarding an application shall not be included in the two hundred forty days. If the chief determines that a permit cannot be granted or denied within the two-hundred-forty-day time frame, the chief, not later than two hundred ten days after the submission of a complete application for the permit, shall provide the applicant with written notice of the expected delay.

(4) If the application is approved, the permit shall be issued. If the application is disapproved, specific reasons therefor shall be set forth in the notification. Within thirty days after the applicant is notified of the final decision of the chief on the permit application, the applicant or any person with an interest that is or may be adversely affected may appeal the decision to the reclamation commission pursuant to section 1513.13 of the Revised Code.

(5) Any applicant or any person with an interest that is or may be adversely affected who has participated in the administrative proceedings as an objector and is aggrieved by the decision of the reclamation commission, or if the commission fails to act within the time limits specified in this chapter, may appeal in accordance with section 1513.14 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 1513.073. (A)(1) Upon petition pursuant to division (B) of this section, the chief of the division of mineral resources management shall designate an area as unsuitable for all or certain types of coal mining operations if the chief determines that reclamation pursuant to the requirements of this chapter is not technologically and economically feasible.

(2) Upon petition pursuant to division (B) of this section, a surface area may be designated unsuitable for all or certain types of coal mining operations if the operations will:

(a) Be incompatible with existing state or local land use plans or programs;

(b) Affect fragile or historic lands in which the operations could result in significant damage to important historic, cultural, scientific, and esthetic values and natural systems;

(c) Affect renewable resource lands in which the operations could result in a substantial loss or reduction of long-range productivity of water supply or of food or fiber products, or aquifers and aquifer recharge areas;

(d) Affect natural hazard lands in which the operations could substantially endanger life and property, such lands to include areas subject to frequent flooding and areas of unstable geology.

(3) The chief shall develop the following:

(a) A data base and an inventory system that will permit proper evaluation of the capacity of different land areas of the state to support and permit reclamation of coal mining operations;

(b) A method or methods for implementing land use planning decisions concerning coal mining operations;

(c) Procedures for proper notice and opportunities for public participation, including a public meeting prior to making any designation or redesignation, pursuant to this section.

(4) Determinations of the unsuitablity of land for coal mining, as provided for in this section, shall be integrated as closely as possible with present and future land use planning and regulation processes at the federal, state, and local levels.

(5) The requirements of this section do not apply to lands on which coal mining operations were being conducted on August 3, 1977, or under a permit issued pursuant to this chapter, or where substantial legal and financial commitments in the operation were in existence prior to January 4, 1977.

(B) A person having an interest that is or may be adversely affected may petition the chief to have an area designated as unsuitable for coal mining operations or to have such a designation terminated. The petition shall contain allegations of facts with supporting evidence that would tend to establish the allegations. The chief shall hold a public meeting in the locality of the affected area, after appropriate notice and publication of the date, time, and location of the meeting within ninety days after receipt of the petition, provided that the chief may extend the time for holding the meeting an additional two hundred ten days when, in the chief's judgment, such additional time is needed for adequate review of the petition. Any person may appear at the meeting and present a statement or evidence regarding the petition. Within sixty days after the meeting, the chief shall issue and furnish to the petitioner and any other participant at the meeting a written decision regarding the petition, and the reasons therefor.

(C) Prior to designating any land areas as unsuitable for coal mining operations or terminating previous determinations of unsuitability, the chief shall prepare a detailed statement on:

(1) The potential coal resources of the area;

(2) The demand for coal resources;

(3) The impact of the designation on the environment, the economy, and the supply of coal.

(D) After August 3, 1977, and subject to valid existing rights, no coal mining operations except those that existed on August 3, 1977, shall be permitted:

(1) On any lands within the boundaries of units of the national park system, the national wildlife refuge systems, the national system of trails, the national wilderness preservation system, the wild and scenic rivers system, including study rivers designated under section 5(a) of the "Wild and Scenic Rivers Act," 82 Stat. 906 (1968), 16 U.S.C.A. 1274, and national recreation areas designated by act of congress;

(2) On any federal lands within the boundaries of any national forest unless approval is granted by the secretary of the United States department of the interior;

(3) That will adversely affect any publicly owned park or any places included in the national register of historic sites unless approved jointly by the chief and the federal, state, or local agency with jurisdiction over the park or the historic site;

(4) Within one hundred feet of the outside right-of-way line of any public road, measured horizontally, except where mine access roads or haulage roads join such right-of-way line and except that the chief may permit the roads to be relocated or the area affected to lie within one hundred feet of such road if after public notice and opportunity for public meeting in the locality of the affected area a written finding is made that the interests of the public and the landowners affected thereby will be protected;

(5) Within three hundred feet from any occupied dwelling, measured horizontally, unless waived by the owner thereof, nor within three hundred feet, measured horizontally, of any public building, school, church, community, or institutional building, or public park, nor within one hundred feet, measured horizontally, of a cemetery.

Sec. 1513.075. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Potential acidity" means a laboratory measurement of the amount of acidity that could be produced by material in a rock strata proposed to be disturbed by mining and that is expressed by a numeral indicating the number of tons of that acidity that would be present in one thousand tons of disturbed overburden.

(2) "Neutralization potential" means a laboratory measurement of the alkalinity of a rock strata expressed as the amount of acidity that would be neutralized by material proposed to be disturbed by mining and that is expressed by a numeral indicating the number of tons of that alkalinity that would be present in one thousand tons of disturbed overburden.

(3) "Test borings or core samplings" refer to test borings or core samplings performed on rock strata in an area proposed to be covered by a permit for a coal mining operation, the results of which must be stated in the permit application in accordance with division (B)(1)(o) of section 1513.07 of the Revised Code.

(B) For purposes of the determination of the chief of the division of mineral resources management regarding whether to approve an application for a permit for a coal mining operation based on criteria established in divisions (E)(2)(a) and (c) of section 1513.07 of the Revised Code and related performance standards established in division (A)(10) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code, the potential acidity and the neutralization potential of the rock strata that would be disturbed under the permit may be calculated in accordance with this section.

(C) The measurement of potential acidity may be based on laboratory analyses of the sulfur content of the coal and overburden to be disturbed by mining. If the results of test borings or core samplings include laboratory analyses of the pyritic form of sulfur, the applicant may base the calculation of the potential acidity for the area on the pyritic sulfur content of the coal and overburden to be disturbed by mining rather than on the total sulfur content.

(D) The tons of rock in the area represented by each core hole resulting from test boring or core sampling may be estimated and used to calculate the tons of potential acidity and tons of neutralization potential for each rock stratum. The sum of those values across the proposed permit area may be used to calculate the site's overall neutralization potential and potential acidity.

(E) The proposed permit area may not be considered to have the potential to create acid or other toxic mine drainage if either of the following applies:

(1) The numeral that indicates the site's overall neutralization potential divided by the numeral that indicates the site's overall potential acidity results in a quotient that is equal to or greater than two.

(2) The numeral that indicates the neutralization potential subtracted from the numeral that indicates the potential acidity results in a remainder that is equal to or less than ~~either of the following:~~

~~(a) Negative five in the case that the total sulfur content of rock strata is used to calculate potential acidity;~~

~~(b) Negative ten in the case that the pyritic sulfur content of rock strata is used to calculate potential acidity~~ negative ten.

Sec. 1513.081. (A) If ~~an operator~~ a permittee becomes insolvent, or an alternative financial security to provide long-term water treatment or a long-term alternative water supply, or both, is not provided in accordance with division (F)(8) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code, the division of mineral resources management shall have a priority lien in front of all other interested creditors against the assets of that ~~operator~~ permittee for the amount of any reclamation that is required as a result of the ~~operator's~~ permittee's mining activities. The chief of the division of mineral resources management shall file a statement in the office of the county recorder of each county in which the mined land lies of the estimated cost to reclaim the land and, if applicable, the cost to provide long-term water treatment or a long-term alternative water supply, or both. The estimated cost to reclaim the land and, if applicable, the cost to provide long-term water treatment or a long-term alternative water supply, or both, shall include the direct and indirect costs of the development, design, construction, management, and administration of the reclamation and, if applicable, the long-term water treatment or long-term alternative water supply. The statement shall constitute a lien on the assets of the ~~operator~~ permittee as of the date of the filing. The lien shall continue in force so long as any portion of the lien remains unpaid or until the chief issues a certificate of release of the lien. If the chief issues a certificate of release of the lien, the chief shall file the certificate of release in the office of each applicable county recorder.

(B) The chief promptly shall issue a certificate of release of a lien under any of the following circumstances:

(1) Upon the repayment in full of the money that is necessary to complete the reclamation, develop and implement mine drainage plans, or provide alternative financial security for water treatment or to provide and maintain an alternative water supply, as applicable;

(2) Upon the transfer of an existing permit that includes the areas of the operation for which reclamation of land and water resources was not completed to a different ~~operator~~ applicant;

(3) Any other circumstance that the chief determines to be in the best interests of the state.

(C) The chief may modify the amount of a lien under this section. If the chief modifies a lien, the chief shall file a statement in the office of the county recorder of each applicable county of the new amount of the lien.

(D) The chief may authorize an agent to hold a certificate of release in escrow for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty days for the purpose of facilitating the transfer of unreclaimed mine land.

(E) All money from the collection of liens under this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the reclamation forfeiture fund created in section 1513.18 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 1513.16. (A) Any permit issued under this chapter to conduct coal mining operations shall require that the operations meet all applicable performance standards of this chapter and such other requirements as the chief of the division of mineral resources management shall adopt by rule. General performance standards shall apply to all coal mining and reclamation operations and shall require the operator at a minimum to do all of the following:

(1) Conduct coal mining operations so as to maximize the utilization and conservation of the solid fuel resource being recovered so that reaffecting the land in the future through coal mining can be minimized;

(2) Restore the land affected to a condition capable of supporting the uses that it was capable of supporting prior to any mining, or higher or better uses of which there is reasonable likelihood, so long as the uses do not present any actual or probable hazard to public health or safety or pose any actual or probable threat of diminution or pollution of the waters of the state, and the permit applicants' declared proposed land uses following reclamation are not considered to be impractical or unreasonable, to be inconsistent with applicable land use policies and plans, to involve unreasonable delay in implementation, or to violate federal, state, or local law;

(3) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, with respect to all coal mining operations, backfill, compact where advisable to ensure stability or to prevent leaching of toxic materials, and grade in order to restore the approximate original contour of the land with all highwalls, spoil piles, and depressions eliminated unless small depressions are needed in order to retain moisture to assist revegetation or as otherwise authorized pursuant to this chapter, provided that if the operator demonstrates that due to volumetric expansion the amount of overburden and the spoil and waste materials removed in the course of the mining operation are more than sufficient to restore the approximate original contour, the operator shall backfill, grade, and compact the excess overburden and other spoil and waste materials to attain the lowest grade, but not more than the angle of repose, and to cover all acid-forming and other toxic materials in order to achieve an ecologically sound land use compatible with the surrounding region in accordance with the approved mining plan. The overburden or spoil shall be shaped and graded in such a way as to prevent slides, erosion, and water pollution and shall be revegetated in accordance with this chapter.

(4) Stabilize and protect all surface areas, including spoil piles affected by the coal mining and reclamation operation, to control erosion and attendant air and water pollution effectively;

(5) Remove the topsoil from the land in a separate layer, replace it on the backfill area, or, if not utilized immediately, segregate it in a separate pile from the spoil, and when the topsoil is not replaced on a backfill area within a time short enough to avoid deterioration of the topsoil, maintain a successful cover by quick-growing plants or other means thereafter so that the topsoil is preserved from wind and water erosion, remains free of any contamination by acid or other toxic material, and is in a usable condition for sustaining vegetation when restored during reclamation. If the topsoil is of insufficient quantity or of poor quality for sustaining vegetation or if other strata can be shown to be more suitable for vegetation requirements, the operator shall remove, segregate, and preserve in a like manner such other strata as are best able to support vegetation.

(6) Restore the topsoil or the best available subsoil that is best able to support vegetation;

(7) For all prime farmlands as identified in division (B)(1)(p) of section 1513.07 of the Revised Code to be mined and reclaimed, perform soil removal, storage, replacement, and reconstruction in accordance with specifications established by the secretary of the United States department of agriculture under the "Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977," 91 Stat. 445, 30 U.S.C.A. 1201. The operator, at a minimum, shall be required to do all of the following:

(a) Segregate the A horizon of the natural soil, except where it can be shown that other available soil materials will create a final soil having a greater productive capacity, and, if not utilized immediately, stockpile this material separately from the spoil and provide needed protection from wind and water erosion or contamination by acid or other toxic material;

(b) Segregate the B horizon of the natural soil, or underlying C horizons or other strata, or a combination of such horizons or other strata that are shown to be both texturally and chemically suitable for plant growth and that can be shown to be equally or more favorable for plant growth than the B horizon, in sufficient quantities to create in the regraded final soil a root zone of comparable depth and quality to that which existed in the natural soil, and, if not utilized immediately, stockpile this material separately from the spoil and provide needed protection from wind and water erosion or contamination by acid or other toxic material;

(c) Replace and regrade the root zone material described in division (A)(7)(b) of this section with proper compaction and uniform depth over the regraded spoil material;

(d) Redistribute and grade in a uniform manner the surface soil horizon described in division (A)(7)(a) of this section.

(8) Create, if authorized in the approved mining and reclamation plan and permit, permanent impoundments of water on mining sites as part of reclamation activities only when it is adequately demonstrated by the operator that all of the following conditions will be met:

(a) The size of the impoundment is adequate for its intended purposes.

(b) The impoundment dam construction will be so designed as to achieve necessary stability with an adequate margin of safety compatible with that of structures constructed under the "Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act," 68 Stat. 666 (1954), 16 U.S.C. 1001, as amended.

(c) The quality of impounded water will be suitable on a permanent basis for its intended use and discharges from the impoundment will not degrade the water quality below water quality standards established pursuant to applicable federal and state law in the receiving stream.

(d) The level of water will be reasonably stable.

(e) Final grading will provide adequate safety and access for proposed water users.

(f) The water impoundments will not result in the diminution of the quality or quantity of water utilized by adjacent or surrounding landowners for agricultural, industrial, recreational, or domestic uses.

(9) Conduct any augering operation associated with strip mining in a manner to maximize recoverability of mineral reserves remaining after the operation and reclamation are complete and seal all auger holes with an impervious and noncombustible material in order to prevent drainage, except where the chief determines that the resulting impoundment of water in such auger holes may create a hazard to the environment or the public health or safety. The chief may prohibit augering if necessary to maximize the utilization, recoverability, or conservation of the solid fuel resources or to protect against adverse water quality impacts.

(10) Minimize the disturbances to the prevailing hydrologic balance at the mine site and in associated offsite areas and to the quality and quantity of water in surface and ground water systems both during and after coal mining operations and during reclamation by doing all of the following:

(a) Avoiding acid or other toxic mine drainage by such measures as, but not limited to:

(i) Preventing or removing water from contact with toxic producing deposits;

(ii) Treating drainage to reduce toxic content that adversely affects downstream water upon being released to water courses in accordance with rules adopted by the chief in accordance with section 1513.02 of the Revised Code;

(iii) Casing, sealing, or otherwise managing boreholes, shafts, and wells, and keeping acid or other toxic drainage from entering ground and surface waters.

(b)(i) Conducting coal mining operations so as to prevent, to the extent possible using the best technology currently available, additional contributions of suspended solids to streamflow or runoff outside the permit area, but in no event shall contributions be in excess of requirements set by applicable state or federal laws;

(ii) Constructing any siltation structures pursuant to division (A)(10)(b)(i) of this section prior to commencement of coal mining operations. The structures shall be certified by persons approved by the chief to be constructed as designed and as approved in the reclamation plan.

(c) Cleaning out and removing temporary or large settling ponds or other siltation structures from drainways after disturbed areas are revegetated and stabilized, and depositing the silt and debris at a site and in a manner approved by the chief;

(d) Restoring recharge capacity of the mined area to approximate premining conditions;

(e) Avoiding channel deepening or enlargement in operations requiring the discharge of water from mines;

(f) Such other actions as the chief may prescribe.

(11) With respect to surface disposal of mine wastes, tailings, coal processing wastes, and other wastes in areas other than the mine working areas or excavations, stabilize all waste piles in designated areas through construction in compacted layers, including the use of noncombustible and impervious materials if necessary, and ensure that the final contour of the waste pile will be compatible with natural surroundings and that the site can and will be stabilized and revegetated according to this chapter;

(12) Refrain from coal mining within five hundred feet of active and abandoned underground mines in order to prevent breakthroughs and to protect the health or safety of miners. The chief shall permit an operator to mine near, through, or partially through an abandoned underground mine or closer than five hundred feet to an active underground mine if both of the following conditions are met:

(a) The nature, timing, and sequencing of the approximate coincidence of specific strip mine activities with specific underground mine activities are approved by the chief.

(b) The operations will result in improved resource recovery, abatement of water pollution, or elimination of hazards to the health and safety of the public.

(13) Design, locate, construct, operate, maintain, enlarge, modify, and remove or abandon, in accordance with the standards and criteria developed pursuant to rules adopted by the chief, all existing and new coal mine waste piles consisting of mine wastes, tailings, coal processing wastes, or other liquid and solid wastes, and used either temporarily or permanently as dams or embankments;

(14) Ensure that all debris, acid-forming materials, toxic materials, or materials constituting a fire hazard are treated or buried and compacted or otherwise disposed of in a manner designed to prevent contamination of ground or surface waters and that contingency plans are developed to prevent sustained combustion;

(15) Ensure that all reclamation efforts proceed in an environmentally sound manner and as contemporaneously as practicable with the coal mining operations, except that where the applicant proposes to combine strip mining operations with underground mining operations to ensure maximum practical recovery of the mineral resources, the chief may grant a variance for specific areas within the reclamation plan from the requirement that reclamation efforts proceed as contemporaneously as practicable to permit underground mining operations prior to reclamation if:

(a) The chief finds in writing that:

(i) The applicant has presented, as part of the permit application, specific, feasible plans for the proposed underground mining operations.

(ii) The proposed underground mining operations are necessary or desirable to ensure maximum practical recovery of the mineral resource and will avoid multiple disturbance of the surface.

(iii) The applicant has satisfactorily demonstrated that the plan for the underground mining operations conforms to requirements for underground mining in this state and that permits necessary for the underground mining operations have been issued by the appropriate authority.

(iv) The areas proposed for the variance have been shown by the applicant to be necessary for the implementing of the proposed underground mining operations.

(v) No substantial adverse environmental damage, either on-site or off-site, will result from the delay in completion of reclamation as required by this chapter.

(vi) Provisions for the off-site storage of spoil will comply with division (A)(21) of this section.

(b) The chief has adopted specific rules to govern the granting of such variances in accordance with this division and has imposed such additional requirements as the chief considers necessary.

(c) Variances granted under this division shall be reviewed by the chief not more than three years from the date of issuance of the permit.

(d) Liability under the performance security filed by the applicant with the chief pursuant to section 1513.08 of the Revised Code shall be for the duration of the underground mining operations and until the requirements of this section and section 1513.08 of the Revised Code have been fully complied with.

(16) Ensure that the construction, maintenance, and postmining conditions of access roads into and across the site of operations will control or prevent erosion and siltation, pollution of water, and damage to fish or wildlife or their habitat, or to public or private property;

(17) Refrain from the construction of roads or other access ways up a stream bed or drainage channel or in such proximity to the channel as to seriously alter the normal flow of water;

(18) Establish, on the regraded areas and all other lands affected, a diverse, effective, and permanent vegetative cover of the same seasonal variety native to the area of land to be affected and capable of self-regeneration and plant succession at least equal in extent of cover to the natural vegetation of the area, except that introduced species may be used in the revegetation process where desirable and necessary to achieve the approved postmining land use plan;

(19)(a) Assume the responsibility for successful revegetation, as required by division (A)(18) of this section, for a period of five full years after the last year of augmented seeding, fertilizing, irrigation, or other work in order to ensure compliance with that division, except that when the chief approves a long-term intensive agricultural postmining land use, the applicable five-year period of responsibility for revegetation shall commence at the date of initial planting for that long-term intensive agricultural postmining land use, and except that when the chief issues a written finding approving a long-term intensive agricultural postmining land use as part of the mining and reclamation plan, the chief may grant an exception to division (A)(18) of this section;

(b) On lands eligible for remining, assume the responsibility for successful revegetation, as required by division (A)(18) of this section, for a period of two full years after the last year of augmented seeding, fertilizing, irrigation, or other work in order to ensure compliance with that division.

(20) Protect off-site areas from slides or damage occurring during the coal mining and reclamation operations and not deposit spoil material or locate any part of the operations or waste accumulations outside the permit area;

(21) Place all excess spoil material resulting from coal mining and reclamation operations in such a manner that all of the following apply:

(a) Spoil is transported and placed in a controlled manner in position for concurrent compaction and in such a way as to ensure mass stability and to prevent mass movement.

(b) The areas of disposal are within the permit areas for which performance security has been provided. All organic matter shall be removed immediately prior to spoil placement except in the zoned concept method.

(c) Appropriate surface and internal drainage systems and diversion ditches are used so as to prevent spoil erosion and mass movement.

(d) The disposal area does not contain springs, natural watercourses, or wet weather seeps unless lateral drains are constructed from the wet areas to the main underdrains in such a manner that filtration of the water into the spoil pile will be prevented unless the zoned concept method is used.

(e) If placed on a slope, the spoil is placed upon the most moderate slope among those slopes upon which, in the judgment of the chief, the spoil could be placed in compliance with all the requirements of this chapter and is placed, where possible, upon, or above, a natural terrace, bench, or berm if that placement provides additional stability and prevents mass movement.

(f) Where the toe of the spoil rests on a downslope, a rock toe buttress of sufficient size to prevent mass movement is constructed.

(g) The final configuration is compatible with the natural drainage pattern and surroundings and suitable for intended uses.

(h) Design of the spoil disposal area is certified by a qualified registered professional engineer in conformance with professional standards.

(i) All other provisions of this chapter are met.

(22) Meet such other criteria as are necessary to achieve reclamation in accordance with the purpose of this chapter, taking into consideration the physical, climatological, and other characteristics of the site;

(23) To the extent possible, using the best technology currently available, minimize disturbances and adverse impacts of the operation on fish, wildlife, and related environmental values, and achieve enhancement of such resources where practicable;

(24) Provide for an undisturbed natural barrier beginning at the elevation of the lowest coal seam to be mined and extending from the outslope for such distance as the chief shall determine to be retained in place as a barrier to slides and erosion.

(B)(1) The chief may permit mining operations for the purposes set forth in division (B)(3) of this section.

(2) When an applicant meets the requirements of divisions (B)(3) and (4) of this section, a permit without regard to the requirement to restore to approximate original contour known as mountain top removal set forth in divisions (A)(3) or (C)(2) and (3) of this section may be granted for the mining of coal where the mining operation will remove an entire coal seam or seams running through the upper fraction of a mountain, ridge, or hill, except as provided in division (B)(4)(a) of this section, by removing all of the overburden and creating a level plateau or a gently rolling contour with no highwalls remaining, and capable of supporting postmining uses in accordance with this division.

(3) In cases where an industrial, commercial, agricultural, residential, or public facility use, including recreational facilities, is proposed for the postmining use of the affected land, the chief may grant a permit for a mining operation of the nature described in division (B)(2) of this section when all of the following apply:

(a) After consultation with the appropriate land use planning agencies, if any, the proposed postmining land use is considered to constitute an equal or better economic or public use of the affected land, as compared with premining use.

(b) The applicant presents specific plans for the proposed postmining land use and appropriate assurances that the use will be all of the following:

(i) Compatible with adjacent land uses;

(ii) Obtainable according to data regarding expected need and market;

(iii) Assured of investment in necessary public facilities;

(iv) Supported by commitments from public agencies where appropriate;

(v) Practicable with respect to private financial capability for completion of the proposed use;

(vi) Planned pursuant to a schedule attached to the reclamation plan so as to integrate the mining operation and reclamation with the postmining land use;

(vii) Designed by a registered engineer in conformity with professional standards established to ensure the stability, drainage, and configuration necessary for the intended use of the site.

(d) The chief provides the governing body of the unit of general-purpose local government in which the land is located, and any state or federal agency that the chief, in the chief's discretion, determines to have an interest in the proposed use, an opportunity of not more than sixty days to review and comment on the proposed use.

(e) All other requirements of this chapter will be met.

(4) In granting a permit pursuant to this division, the chief shall require that each of the following is met:

(a) The toe of the lowest coal seam and the overburden associated with it are retained in place as a barrier to slides and erosion.

(b) The reclaimed area is stable.

(d) No damage will be done to natural watercourses.

(e) Spoil will be placed on the mountaintop bench as is necessary to achieve the planned postmining land use, except that all excess spoil material not retained on the mountaintop bench shall be placed in accordance with division (A)(21) of this section.

(f) Stability of the spoil retained on the mountaintop bench is ensured and the other requirements of this chapter are met.

(5) The chief shall adopt specific rules to govern the granting of permits in accordance with divisions (B)(1) to (4) of this section and may impose such additional requirements as the chief considers necessary.

(6) All permits granted under divisions (B)(1) to (4) of this section shall be reviewed not more than three years from the date of issuance of the permit unless the applicant affirmatively demonstrates that the proposed development is proceeding in accordance with the terms of the approved schedule and reclamation plan.

(C) All of the following performance standards apply to steep-slope coal mining and are in addition to those general performance standards required by this section, except that this division does not apply to those situations in which an operator is mining on flat or gently rolling terrain on which an occasional steep slope is encountered through which the mining operation is to proceed, leaving a plain or predominantly flat area, or where an operator is in compliance with division (B) of this section:

(1) The operator shall ensure that when performing coal mining on steep slopes, no debris, abandoned or disabled equipment, spoil material, or waste mineral matter is placed on the downslope below the bench or mining cut. Spoil material in excess of that required for the reconstruction of the approximate original contour under division (A)(3) or (C)(2) of this section shall be permanently stored pursuant to division (A)(21) of this section.

(2) The operator shall complete backfilling with spoil material to cover completely the highwall and return the site to the approximate original contour, which material will maintain stability following mining and reclamation.

(3) The operator shall not disturb land above the top of the highwall unless the chief finds that the disturbance will facilitate compliance with the environmental protection standards of this section, except that any such disturbance involving land above the highwall shall be limited to that amount of land necessary to facilitate compliance.

(D)(1) The chief may permit variances for the purposes set forth in division (D)(3) of this section, provided that the watershed control of the area is improved and that complete backfilling with spoil material shall be required to cover completely the highwall, which material will maintain stability following mining and reclamation.

(2) Where an applicant meets the requirements of divisions (D)(3) and (4) of this section, a variance from the requirement to restore to approximate original contour set forth in division (C)(2) of this section may be granted for the mining of coal when the owner of the surface knowingly requests in writing, as a part of the permit application, that such a variance be granted so as to render the land, after reclamation, suitable for an industrial, commercial, residential, or public use, including recreational facilities, in accordance with divisions (D)(3) and (4) of this section.

(3) A variance pursuant to division (D)(2) of this section may be granted if:

(a) After consultation with the appropriate land use planning agencies, if any, the potential use of the affected land is considered to constitute an equal or better economic or public use.

(b) The postmining land condition is designed and certified by a registered professional engineer in conformity with professional standards established to ensure the stability, drainage, and configuration necessary for the intended use of the site.

(c) After approval of the appropriate state environmental agencies, the watershed of the affected land is considered to be improved.

(4) In granting a variance pursuant to division (D) of this section, the chief shall require that only such amount of spoil will be placed off the mine bench as is necessary to achieve the planned postmining land use, ensure stability of the spoil retained on the bench, and meet all other requirements of this chapter. All spoil placement off the mine bench shall comply with division (A)(21) of this section.

(5) The chief shall adopt specific rules to govern the granting of variances under division (D) of this section and may impose such additional requirements as the chief considers necessary.

(6) All variances granted under division (D) of this section shall be reviewed not more than three years from the date of issuance of the permit unless the permittee affirmatively demonstrates that the proposed development is proceeding in accordance with the terms of the reclamation plan.

(E) The chief shall establish standards and criteria regulating the design, location, construction, operation, maintenance, enlargement, modification, removal, and abandonment of new and existing coal mine waste piles referred to in division (A)(13) of this section and division (A)(5) of section 1513.35 of the Revised Code. The standards and criteria shall conform to the standards and criteria used by the chief of the United States army corps of engineers to ensure that flood control structures are safe and effectively perform their intended function. In addition to engineering and other technical specifications, the standards and criteria developed pursuant to this division shall include provisions for review and approval of plans and specifications prior to construction, enlargement, modification, removal, or abandonment; performance of periodic inspections during construction; issuance of certificates of approval upon completion of construction; performance of periodic safety inspections; and issuance of notices for required remedial or maintenance work.

(F)(1) The permittee may file a request with the chief for release of a part of a performance security under division (F)(3) of this section. Within thirty days after any request for performance security release under this section has been filed with the chief, the operator shall submit a copy of an advertisement placed at least once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality of the coal mining operation. The advertisement shall be considered part of any performance security release application and shall contain a notification of the precise location of the land affected, the number of acres, the permit number and the date approved, the amount of the performance security filed and the portion sought to be released, the type and appropriate dates of reclamation work performed, and a description of the results achieved as they relate to the operator's approved reclamation plan and, if applicable, the operator's pollution abatement plan. In addition, as part of any performance security release application, the applicant shall submit copies of the letters sent to adjoining property owners, local governmental bodies, planning agencies, and sewage and water treatment authorities or water companies in the locality in which the coal mining and reclamation activities took place, notifying them of the applicant's intention to seek release from the performance security.

(2) Upon receipt of a copy of the advertisement and request for release of a performance security under division (F)(3)(c) of this section, the chief, within thirty days, shall conduct an inspection and evaluation of the reclamation work involved. The evaluation shall consider, among other things, the degree of difficulty to complete any remaining reclamation, whether pollution of surface and subsurface water is occurring, the probability of continuation or future occurrence of the pollution, and the estimated cost of abating the pollution. The chief shall notify the permittee in writing of the decision to release or not to release all or part of the performance security within sixty days after the filing of the request if no public hearing is held pursuant to division (F)(6) of this section or, if there has been a public hearing held pursuant to division (F)(6) of this section, within thirty days thereafter.

(3) The chief may release the performance security if the reclamation covered by the performance security or portion thereof has been accomplished as required by this chapter and rules adopted under it according to the following schedule:

(a) When the operator completes the backfilling, regrading, and drainage control of an area for which performance security has been provided in accordance with the approved reclamation plan, and, if the area covered by the performance security is one for which an authorization was made under division (E)(7) of section 1513.07 of the Revised Code, the operator has complied with the approved pollution abatement plan and all additional requirements established by the chief in rules adopted under section 1513.02 of the Revised Code governing coal mining and reclamation operations on pollution abatement areas, the chief shall grant a release of fifty per cent of the performance security for the applicable permit area.

(b) After resoiling and revegetation have been established on the regraded mined lands in accordance with the approved reclamation plan, the chief shall grant a release in an amount not exceeding thirty-five per cent of the original performance security for all or part of the affected area under the permit. When determining the amount of performance security to be released after successful revegetation has been established, the chief shall retain that amount of performance security for the revegetated area that would be sufficient for a third party to cover the cost of reestablishing revegetation for the period specified for operator responsibility in this section for reestablishing revegetation. No part of the performance security shall be released under this division so long as the lands to which the release would be applicable are contributing suspended solids to streamflow or runoff outside the permit area in excess of the requirements of this section or until soil productivity for prime farmlands has returned to equivalent levels of yield as nonmined land of the same soil type in the surrounding area under equivalent management practices as determined from the soil survey performed pursuant to section 1513.07 of the Revised Code. If the area covered by the performance security is one for which an authorization was made under division (E)(7) of section 1513.07 of the Revised Code, no part of the performance security shall be released under this division until the operator has complied with the approved pollution abatement plan and all additional requirements established by the chief in rules adopted under section 1513.02 of the Revised Code governing coal mining and reclamation operations on pollution abatement areas. Where a silt dam is to be retained as a permanent impoundment pursuant to division (A)(10) of this section, the portion of performance security may be released under this division so long as provisions for sound future maintenance by the operator or the landowner have been made with the chief.

(c) When the operator has completed successfully all coal mining and reclamation activities, including, if applicable, all additional requirements established in the pollution abatement plan approved under division (E)(7) of section 1513.07 of the Revised Code and all additional requirements established by the chief in rules adopted under section 1513.02 of the Revised Code governing coal mining and reclamation operations on pollution abatement areas, the chief shall release all or any of the remaining portion of the performance security for all or part of the affected area under a permit, but not before the expiration of the period specified for operator responsibility in this section, except that the chief may adopt rules for a variance to the operator period of responsibility considering vegetation success and probability of continued growth and consent of the landowner, provided that no performance security shall be fully released until all reclamation requirements of this chapter are fully met.

(4) If the chief disapproves the application for release of the performance security or portion thereof, the chief shall notify the permittee, in writing, stating the reasons for disapproval and recommending corrective actions necessary to secure the release, and allowing the opportunity for a public adjudicatory hearing.

(5) When any application for total or partial performance security release is filed with the chief under this section, the chief shall notify the municipal corporation in which the coal mining operation is located by certified mail at least thirty days prior to the release of all or a portion of the performance security.

(6) A person with a valid legal interest that might be adversely affected by release of a performance security under this section or the responsible officer or head of any federal, state, or local government agency that has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental, social, or economic impact involved in the operation or is authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards with respect to such operations may file written objections to the proposed release from the performance security with the chief within thirty days after the last publication of the notice required by division (F)(1) of this section. If written objections are filed and an informal conference is requested, the chief shall inform all interested parties of the time and place of the conference. The date, time, and location of the informal conference shall be advertised by the chief in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality of the coal mining operation proposed for performance security release for at least once a week for two consecutive weeks. The informal conference shall be held in the locality of the coal mining operation proposed for performance security release or in Franklin county, at the option of the objector, within thirty days after the request for the conference. An electronic or stenographic record shall be made of the conference proceeding unless waived by all parties. The record shall be maintained and shall be accessible to the parties until final release of the performance security at issue. In the event all parties requesting the informal conference stipulate agreement prior to the requested informal conference and withdraw their request, the informal conference need not be held.

(7) If an informal conference has been held pursuant to division (F)(6) of this section, the chief shall issue and furnish the applicant and persons who participated in the conference with the written decision regarding the release within sixty days after the conference. Within thirty days after notification of the final decision of the chief regarding the performance security release, the applicant or any person with an interest that is or may be adversely affected by the decision may appeal the decision to the reclamation commission pursuant to section 1513.13 of the Revised Code.

(8)(a) ~~Except as provided in division (F)(8)(c) of this section, if~~ If the chief determines that a permittee is responsible for mine drainage that requires water treatment after reclamation is completed under the terms of the permit or that a permittee must provide an alternative water supply after reclamation is completed under the terms of the permit, the permittee shall provide alternative financial security in an amount determined by the chief prior to the release of the remaining portion of performance security under division (F)(3)(c) of this section. The alternative financial security shall be in an amount that is equal to or greater than the present value of the estimated cost over time to develop and implement mine drainage plans and provide water treatment or in an amount that is necessary to provide and maintain an alternative water supply, as applicable. The alternative financial security shall include a contract, trust, or other agreement or mechanism that is enforceable under law to provide long-term water treatment or a long-term alternative water supply, or both. The contract, trust, or other agreement or mechanism included with the alternative financial security may provide for the funding of the alternative financial security incrementally over a period of time, not to exceed five years, with reliance on guarantees or other collateral provided by the permittee and approved by the chief for the balance of the alternative financial security required until the alternative financial security has been fully funded by the permittee.

(b) The chief shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that are necessary for the administration of division (F)(8)(a) of this section.

(c) Division (F)(8)(a) of this section does not apply while the chief's determination of a permittee's responsibility under that division is the subject of a good faith administrative or judicial appeal contesting the validity of the determination. If after completion of the appeal there is an enforceable administrative or judicial decision affirming or modifying the chief's determination, the permittee shall provide the alternative financial security in an amount established in the administrative or judicial decision If the chief determines that a permittee must provide alternative financial security under division (F)(8)(a) of this section and the performance security for the permit was provided under division (C)(2) of section 1513.08 of the Revised Code, the permittee may fund the alternative financial security incrementally over a period of time, not to exceed five years, with reliance on the reclamation forfeiture fund created in section 1513.18 of the Revised Code for the balance of the alternative financial security required until the alternative financial security has been fully funded by the permittee. The permittee semiannually shall pay to the division of mineral resources management a fee that is equal to seven and one-half per cent of the average balance of the alternative financial security that is being provided by reliance on the reclamation forfeiture fund over the previous six months. All money received from the fee shall be credited to the reclamation forfeiture fund.

(9) Final release of the performance security in accordance with division (F)(3)(c) of this section terminates the jurisdiction of the chief under this chapter over the reclaimed site of a surface coal mining and reclamation operation or applicable portion of an operation. However, the chief shall reassert jurisdiction over such a site if the release was based on fraud, collusion, or misrepresentation of a material fact and the chief, in writing, demonstrates evidence of the fraud, collusion, or misrepresentation. Any person with an interest that is or may be adversely affected by the chief's determination may appeal the determination to the reclamation commission in accordance with section 1513.13 of the Revised Code.

(G) The chief shall adopt rules governing the criteria for forfeiture of performance security, the method of determining the forfeited amount, and the procedures to be followed in the event of forfeiture. Cash received as the result of such forfeiture is the property of the state.

Sec. 1513.18. (A) All money that becomes the property of the state under division (G) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code shall be deposited in the reclamation forfeiture fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. Disbursements from the fund shall be made by the chief of the division of mineral resources management for the purpose of reclaiming areas of land affected by coal mining under a coal mining and reclamation permit issued on or after September 1, 1981, on which an operator has defaulted.

(B) The fund also shall consist of all money from the collection of liens under section 1513.081 of the Revised Code, any moneys transferred to it under section 1513.181 of the Revised Code from the coal mining and reclamation reserve fund created in that section, all money credited to the fund from the fee levied by division (F)(8)(c) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code, fines collected under division (E) of section 1513.02 and section 1513.99 of the Revised Code, fines collected for a violation of section 2921.31 of the Revised Code that, prior to July 1, 1996, would have been a violation of division (G) of section 1513.17 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to that date, and moneys collected and credited to it pursuant to section 5749.02 of the Revised Code. Disbursements from the fund shall be made by the chief in accordance with division (D) of this section for the purpose of reclaiming areas that an operator has affected by mining and failed to reclaim under a coal mining and reclamation permit issued under this chapter.

The chief may expend moneys from the fund to pay necessary administrative costs, including engineering and design services, incurred by the division of mineral resources management in reclaiming these areas. The chief also may expend moneys from the fund to pay necessary administrative costs of the reclamation forfeiture fund advisory board created in section 1513.182 of the Revised Code as authorized by the board under that section. Expenditures from the fund to pay such administrative costs need not be made under contract.

(C) Except when paying necessary administrative costs authorized by division (B) of this section, expenditures from the fund shall be made under contracts entered into by the chief, with the approval of the director of natural resources, in accordance with procedures established by the chief, by rules adopted in accordance with section 1513.02 of the Revised Code. The chief may reclaim the land in the same manner as set forth in sections 1513.21 to 1513.24 of the Revised Code. Each contract awarded by the chief shall be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, in accordance with section 9.312 of the Revised Code, after sealed bids are received, opened, and published at the time and place fixed by the chief. The chief shall publish notice of the time and place at which bids will be received, opened, and published, at least once and at least ten days before the date of the opening of the bids, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the area of land to be reclaimed under the contract is located. If, after advertising, no bids are received at the time and place fixed for receiving them, the chief may advertise again for bids, or, if the chief considers the public interest will best be served, the chief may enter into a contract for the reclamation of the area of land without further advertisement for bids. The chief may reject any or all bids received and again publish notice of the time and place at which bids for contracts will be received, opened, and published. The chief, with the approval of the director, may enter into a contract with the landowner, a coal mine operator or surface mine operator mining under a current, valid permit issued under this chapter or Chapter 1514. of the Revised Code, or a contractor hired by the surety or trustee, if the performance security is held in trust, to complete reclamation ~~to carry out reclamation~~ on land affected by coal mining on which an operator has defaulted, or with a contractor hired by the trust administrator of an alternative financial security that is provided in accordance with division (F)(8) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code to provide long-term water treatment or a long-term alternative water supply on areas affected by coal mining on which a permittee has defaulted or not fully funded an alternative financial security, without advertising for bids.

(D)(1) The chief shall expend money credited to the reclamation forfeiture fund from the forfeiture of the performance security applicable to an area of land to pay for the cost of ~~the~~ completing reclamation ~~of the land~~ to the standards established by this chapter and rules adopted under it.

(2) If the performance security for the area of land was provided under division (C)(1) of section 1513.08 of the Revised Code, the chief shall use the money from the forfeited performance security and any alternative financial security provided under division (F)(8) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code to complete the reclamation that the operator failed to do under the operator's applicable coal mining and reclamation permit issued under this chapter.

(3) If the performance security for the area of land was provided under division (C)(2) of section 1513.08 of the Revised Code, the chief shall use the money from the forfeited performance security and any alternative financial security provided under division (F)(8) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code to complete the reclamation that the operator failed to do under the operator's applicable coal mining and reclamation permit issued under this chapter. If the money credited to the reclamation forfeiture fund from the forfeiture of the performance security provided under division (C)(2) of section 1513.08 of the Revised Code and any alternative financial security provided under division (F)(8) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code is not sufficient to complete the reclamation to the standards established by this chapter and rules adopted under it, the chief shall notify the reclamation forfeiture fund advisory board of the amount of the insufficiency. The chief may expend money credited to the reclamation forfeiture fund under section 5749.02 of the Revised Code, credited to the reclamation forfeiture fund from the fee levied by division (F)(8)(c) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code, or transferred to the fund under section 1513.181 of the Revised Code to complete the reclamation to the standards established by this chapter and rules adopted under it. ~~The~~ Except as provided in division (D)(5) of this section, the chief shall not expend money from the fund in an amount that exceeds the difference between the amount of the performance security provided under division (C)(2) of section 1513.08 of the Revised Code and the estimated cost of reclamation as determined by the chief under divisions (B) and (E) of that section.

(4) ~~Money~~ Except as provided in division (D)(5) of this section, money from the reclamation forfeiture fund shall not be used for reclamation of land or water resources affected by mine drainage that requires extended water treatment after reclamation is completed under the terms of the permit. In addition, money from the reclamation forfeiture fund shall not be used to supplement the performance security of an applicant or permittee that has provided performance security in accordance with division (C)(1) of section 1513.08 of the Revised Code.

(5) If a permittee relies in part on the reclamation forfeiture fund for alternative financial security under division (F)(8)(c) of section 1513.16 of the Revised Code, money from the reclamation forfeiture fund may be used for reclamation of the land or water resources affected by mine drainage that requires water treatment after reclamation is completed under the terms of the permit or an alternative water supply after reclamation is completed under the terms of the permit in an amount not to exceed the balance of the alternative financial security provided by the reclamation forfeiture fund under that division.

(E) The chief shall keep a detailed accounting of the expenditures from the reclamation forfeiture fund to complete reclamation of the land or water resources, as applicable, and, upon completion of the reclamation, shall certify the expenditures to the attorney general. Upon the chief's certification of the expenditures from the reclamation forfeiture fund, the attorney general shall bring an action for that amount of money. The operator is liable for that expense in addition to any other liabilities imposed by law. Moneys so recovered shall be credited to the reclamation forfeiture fund. The chief shall not postpone the reclamation because of any action brought by the attorney general under this division. Prior to completing reclamation, the chief may collect through the attorney general any additional amount that the chief believes will be necessary for reclamation in excess of the forfeited performance security and any alternative financial security amount applicable to the land or water resources that the operator should have, but failed to, reclaim.

(F) Except as otherwise provided in division (H) of this section, if any part of the moneys in the reclamation forfeiture fund remains in the fund after the chief has caused the area of land to be reclaimed and has paid all the reclamation costs and expenses, the chief may expend those moneys to complete other reclamation work performed under this section on forfeiture areas affected under a coal mining and reclamation permit issued on or after September 1, 1981.

(G) The chief shall require every contractor performing reclamation work pursuant to this section to pay workers at the greater of their regular rate of pay, as established by contract, agreement, or prior custom or practice, or the average wage rate paid in this state for the same or similar work as determined by the chief under section 1513.02 of the Revised Code.

(H) All investment earnings of the fund shall be credited to the fund and shall be used only for the reclamation of land for which performance security was provided under division (C)(2) of section 1513.08 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 1513.371. There is hereby created in the state treasury the mined land set aside fund consisting of grants made by the United States secretary of the interior from the federal abandoned mine reclamation fund pursuant to section 402 of the "Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977," 91 Stat. 445, 30 U.S.C. 1232. The chief of the division of mineral resources management shall administer the fund. Money in the fund shall be used solely for the purposes specified in divisions (B)(1) to ~~(4)~~(3), (5), and (6) of section 1513.37 of the Revised Code. All investment earnings of the fund shall be credited to the fund.

SECTION 2. That existing sections 1513.07, 1513.073, 1513.075, 1513.081, 1513.16, 1513.18, and 1513.371 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

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Bill Text: OH HB163 | 2011-2012 | 129th General Assembly | Enrolled

Ohio House Bill 163 (Prior Session Legislation)

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