A. Any locality may establish standards and adopt regulations dealing with the same subjects dealt with in this chapter so long as such standards and regulations are no less stringent than those adopted by the Director.
B. This chapter shall not be construed to repeal any local ordinance or regulation or charter provision in any locality where such provision is no less stringent than the standard adopted by the Director. The Director may waive the application of this chapter if, in his opinion, a locality in which mining operations are being conducted has enacted and is enforcing zoning ordinances dealing with the subject matter and prescribing standards and regulations not less stringent than those set forth in this chapter. If the Director waives any provision of this chapter, the operator shall comply strictly with all the provisions of the ordinances of the locality in which the operation is located.
C. The Director may also waive the application of this chapter as to any mining or borrow pit operation that is conducted solely and exclusively for a state project and that is subject by contract to the control and supervision of a state agency, so long as regulations satisfactory to the Director have been adopted and are incorporated into any contract for such removal. The locality or state agency shall ensure strict compliance with all provisions of the ordinances, regulations, or contracts and the Director shall from time to time review such ordinances, regulations, or contracts and their enforcement programs to ensure compliance with this chapter. If the Director determines that such strict compliance is not present, then he may rescind the waiver of the application of this chapter.
1968, c. 734, § 45.1-197; 1974, c. 312; 1977, c. 312; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 45.2 - Mines, Minerals, and Energy
Chapter 12 - Permits for Certain Mining Operations; Reclamation of Land
§ 45.2-1201. Construction of chapter
§ 45.2-1202. Authority of Director; enforcement of chapter by injunction
§ 45.2-1203. Exemption for restricted mining
§ 45.2-1206. Operations plan; reclamation; policy of Director
§ 45.2-1207. Special Reclamation Fund
§ 45.2-1209. Review of operations plan and reclamation provision by Director; issuance of permit
§ 45.2-1210. Application for permit; adjoining landowners; local official
§ 45.2-1211. Succession of one operator by another at uncompleted project
§ 45.2-1213. Notice of noncompliance served on operator
§ 45.2-1214. Collection of debts
§ 45.2-1215. Commonwealth to have lien for reclamation work
§ 45.2-1216. Perfection of lien; waiver of lien
§ 45.2-1217. Recordation and indexing of lien; notice
§ 45.2-1219. Hearing to determine amount of lien
§ 45.2-1220. Satisfaction of lien
§ 45.2-1221. Additional bond to cover amended estimate of land to be disturbed
§ 45.2-1222. Interference with reclamation unlawful; other mining operations on land
§ 45.2-1223. Penalty for violation of chapter, etc.
§ 45.2-1224. Assistance of federal, state, and local agencies
§ 45.2-1225. Injunction prohibiting mining operation
§ 45.2-1226. Appeals from decisions of the Department
§ 45.2-1228. Orphaned Lands Reclamation Fund
§ 45.2-1229. Survey; priorities for reclamation
§ 45.2-1230. Agreements with owners or lessees; reclamation by Director
§ 45.2-1231. Contracts for reclamation
§ 45.2-1232. Acceptance of federal funds, gifts, etc.
§ 45.2-1234. Minerals Reclamation Fund
§ 45.2-1235. Membership in Fund; payments required
§ 45.2-1236. Release of bonds and other securities
§ 45.2-1237. Return of member payments
§ 45.2-1238. Revocation of permits; reclamation work
§ 45.2-1239. Collection of debt where cost of reclamation exceeds member's forfeited payments, etc.
§ 45.2-1240. Decreases in size of Fund
§ 45.2-1241. Order of return of payments
§ 45.2-1242. Discontinuance of Fund
§ 45.2-1243. Construction of article; Fund used solely for reclamation