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Subtitle 1 - Definitions
Section 15-101 - Definitions - (a) In this title the following words have the meanings...
Subtitle 2 - Powers, Authority, and Organization of Units Pertaining to Mines and Mining -- in General
Section 15-201 - Bureau of Mines Established; Location of Main Office of Bureau - (a) There is a Bureau of Mines, established as part...
Section 15-202 - Director of Bureau - The Secretary shall appoint the Director of the Bureau of...
Section 15-203 - Duties of Bureau and Director Generally - (a) The Bureau shall supervise the execution and enforcement of...
Section 15-204 - Land Reclamation Committee - (a) (1) There is a Land Reclamation Committee. It consists...
Section 15-205 - Reclamation Plans - (a) (1) Before any person conducts surface coal mining and...
Subtitle 3 - Examination, Licensing, Inspection, and Supervision of Mining Activity
Section 15-301 - Definitions - (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings...
Section 15-302 - Examining Authority to Test Applicants for Different Types of Certificates and Permits - The examining authority shall inquire into the background and qualifications...
Section 15-303 - Particular Qualifications for Different Kinds of Certificates and Permits - (a) An applicant for a first-class mine foreman certificate of...
Section 15-304 - Bureau May Instruct Applicants for Certificates and Permits - The Bureau may establish a place within the mining area...
Section 15-305 - Examination of Applicants for Certificates and Permits - (a) Any applicant for a certificate of competence shall answer...
Section 15-306 - Records of Applications and Examinations - The examining authority shall keep the applications for certificates, any...
Section 15-307 - Appeal of Aggrieved Applicants - An applicant who is aggrieved by the examining authority’s refusal...
Section 15-308 - Certificate Fee; Issuance and Contents of Certificate; Lost or Destroyed Certificate - Upon payment to the State of a certificate fee of...
Section 15-309 - Forged or Counterfeit Certificates or Permits - A person may not forge or counterfeit a certificate or...
Section 15-310 - Cancellation or Suspension of Certificate or Permit of Competence; Obtaining New Certificate or Permit - (a) A person holding a certificate or permit of competence...
Section 15-311 - Dangerous Conditions - (a) If any matter, thing, or practice in, about, or...
Section 15-312 - Continuing Education - All first-class mine foremen and fire-boss certificate holders shall be...
Section 15-313 - Reciprocal Recognition of Certificates - (a) The Director may enter into an agreement with an...
Subtitle 4 - Rules and Regulations Governing Mining Activity
Section 15-401 - Duties of Mine Operators - (a) Each operator shall notify the Bureau immediately in the...
Section 15-402 - Mine Foremen and Assistants - (a) In order to secure efficient management and proper ventilation...
Section 15-403 - Fire Bosses - (a) The operator of every gassy mine shall employ a...
Section 15-404 - Protection and Safety of Mine Employees; Employee's Duties to Other Employees - (a) A person may not work in any mine until...
Section 15-405 - Mine Disasters - (a) If a mine disaster occurs, the proper State and...
Section 15-406 - Reports of Mine Accidents - (a) The operator of each coal mine shall report monthly...
Section 15-407 - Pozzolan - (a) In this section, “pozzolan” means the finely divided residue...
Subtitle 5 - Strip Mining
Section 15-501 - Definitions - (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings...
Section 15-502 - Declaration of Policy - This subtitle is an exercise of the police powers of...
Section 15-503 - Rules and Regulations Generally - (a) The Bureau may make and enforce any rule and...
Section 15-504 - Open-Pit Mining Operator's License - (a) (1) (i) A person may not conduct open–pit mining...
Section 15-505 - Open-Pit Mining Permit Generally - (a) Before any person conducts open–pit mining, he shall obtain...
Section 15-506 - Designation of Areas as Unsuitable for Strip Mining - (a) The Department shall establish a process to determine which,...
Section 15-507 - Bonds - (a) (1) In this section the following words have the...
Section 15-508 - Monthly Report; Annual Report; Mining and Reclamation Progress Report; Inspections and Enforcement Generally; Cease and Desist Orders; Review - (a) (1) The Department may require an operator to establish...
Section 15-509 - Mine Reclamation Surcharge; Bond Supplement Surcharge - (a) On the basis of the approved monthly reports of...
Section 15-510 - Grading; Sealing Off Openings; Impounding Water; Backfilling and Planting Generally; Alternative Plans for Reclamation; Interference With Operator - (a) Each operator shall comply with the requirements of this...
Section 15-511 - Completion Report; Reservation for Deep Mining or Other Use; Limitation on Initiation of Deep Mining - (a) (1) (i) After completion of all coal removal, backfilling,...
Section 15-512 - State Participation in Cost of Revegetation - To encourage optimum revegetation, the Committee may recommend to the...
Section 15-513 - Backfilling and Planting Report; Inspection; Release of Bonds; Continued Liability for Revegetation - (a) (1) No later than the time the mining and...
Section 15-514 - Revocation of Permit and Forfeiture on Bond - (a) (1) If the Director determines that an operator has...
Section 15-514.1 - Reissuance of Permit to Another Qualified Operator - (a) In this section, “permit” includes all areas approved in...
Section 15-515 - Disposition of Funds; Right of Entry - (a) (1) Any funds that the Department receives and retains...
Section 15-516 - Water Supply Replacement Reserve - (a) The Secretary shall establish within the Bituminous Coal Open-Pit...
Section 15-517 - Bond Supplement Reserve - (a) The Secretary shall establish within the Bituminous Coal Open-Pit...
Section 15-518 - Prospecting for Coal - (a) A person who conducts any prospecting activity shall be...
Section 15-519 - Assumption of Certain Costs by Department - (a) If the Department finds that the probable total annual...
Section 15-520 - Penalties Under Subtitle - (a) Any person who mines coal by the open-pit mining...
Section 15-521 - Civil Penalties - (a) Any person who violates any provision of this subtitle,...
Section 15-522 - Liability of Officers or Agents for Corporate Violations - Whenever a corporation or limited liability company violates any rule...
Section 15-523 - Enforcement or Enjoining Violation of Order, Notice, Rule, Regulation, or Permit - (a) On application of the Department, acting through the Attorney...
Section 15-524 - Protection of Interest in Water Resources; Replacement of Water Supply - (a) Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed as affecting...
Section 15-525 - Blasting or Use of Explosives - No person may engage in or be directly responsible for...
Section 15-526 - Oaths and Subpoenas; Record of Hearing - For the purpose of any hearing required by this subtitle,...
Section 15-527 - State Employees Not to Have Financial Interest - (a) An employee of the State of Maryland who performs...
Section 15-528 - Civil Actions - (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,...
Section 15-529 - Severability - If any provision of this subtitle or the applicability thereof...
Subtitle 6 - Deep Mine Control
Section 15-601 - Definitions - (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings...
Section 15-602 - Legislative Intent - In this subtitle the General Assembly intends to provide for...
Section 15-603 - Powers and Duties of Secretary Generally - (a) The Secretary shall adopt rules and regulations for prevention...
Section 15-604 - Disposition of Fees - All funds received by the Secretary from permit fees and...
Section 15-605 - License - (a) A person may not continue or commence operation of...
Section 15-606 - Permit Generally - (a) A person may not continue or commence operation of...
Section 15-607 - Regulations Regarding Damage Due to Subsidence - The Department shall adopt regulations to protect against, prevent, or...
Section 15-608 - Replacement of Water Supplies - (a) Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed as affecting...
Section 15-609 - Transfer of Permit - (a) When, by sale, lease, assignment, or otherwise, one operator...
Section 15-610 - Activities Not Meeting Requirements of Subtitle - (a) If the Department determines that the activities under the...
Section 15-611 - Violations - (a) If the Department has reason to believe that a...
Section 15-612 - Bond - (a) (1) After receiving notification that an application for a...
Section 15-613 - Forfeiture of Bond or Deposit - (a) The performance bond or cash deposit in lieu of...
Section 15-614 - Operation After Forfeiture - An operator may not conduct deep mining within the State...
Section 15-615 - Monthly Progress Report; Annual Report; Updating Map Information; Surcharge; Inaccurate Maps - (a) By the twenty-fifth day of each month, a deep...
Section 15-616 - Completion Report - (a) Within 30 days after an operation is abandoned or...
Section 15-617 - Injunctions - On application of the Department, verified by oath, the circuit...
Section 15-618 - Penalty - Any operator who mines coal by the deep mining method...
Subtitle 7 - Abandoned Mine Drainage Control Act
Section 15-701 - Definitions - (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings...
Section 15-702 - Legislative Intent; Authority of Secretary to Prevent, Control, and Abate Water Pollution; Rules and Regulations - (a) It is the intention of the General Assembly to...
Section 15-703 - Authority of Secretary to Implement Subtitle - The Secretary may implement the provisions of this subtitle by...
Section 15-704 - Use of Proceeds of Mine Reclamation and Water Quality Restoration Loan of 1970; Acquisition, Sale, Transfer, Gift of Land; Abandoned Mine Drainage Capital Fund - (a) Proceeds from the Mine Reclamation and Water Quality Restoration...
Section 15-705 - Cooperation by Department With Other State Agencies and Political Subdivisions - The Department may cooperate with any other State unit or...
Section 15-706 - Federal Programs - The Department may take advantage of any available federal program...
Subtitle 8 - Surface Mining
Section 15-801 - Definitions - (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings...
Section 15-802 - Legislative Intent - (a) The General Assembly finds and declares that: (1) The...
Section 15-803 - Regulations - (a) The Department may adopt regulations reasonably necessary for the...
Section 15-804 - Review of Mineral Resources Plans - (a) The Department shall review mineral resources plan elements developed...
Section 15-805 - Surface Mined Land Reclamation Fund - (a) All funds received by the Department from license fees,...
Section 15-806 - Surface Mine Inspectors - The Department may employ qualified surface mine inspectors and other...
Section 15-807 - Surface Mining License - (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, a person...
Section 15-808 - Surface Mining Permit Generally - (a) A licensee may not engage in surface mining within...
Section 15-809 - Review of Application and Accompanying Documents; Notice; Hearing - (a) On receipt of an application and accompanying documents, the...
Section 15-810 - Approval or Denial of Permit - (a) The Department shall approve and grant or deny the...
Section 15-811 - Conditions for a Permit - (a) Any permit issued shall be expressly conditioned upon compliance...
Section 15-812 - Dewatering in Karst Terrain; Legislative Intent; Zones of Dewatering Influence Established; Program Established - (a) The General Assembly finds that in certain regions of...
Section 15-813 - Permit Conditions for Dewatering a Pit in Karst Terrain - (a) (1) In this section the following words have the...
Section 15-814 - Length of Term of Permit - (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section,...
Section 15-815 - Permit Modification - (a) Any permittee engaged in surface mining under a surface...
Section 15-816 - Permit Renewal - (a) The procedure to be followed and standards to be...
Section 15-817 - Effective Date of Modification or Renewal - No modification or renewal of a permit becomes effective until...
Section 15-818 - New Permit in Lieu of Modification or Renewal - In lieu of a modification or renewal, a permittee may...
Section 15-819 - Transfer of Permit - (a) When the interest of a permittee in any uncompleted...
Section 15-820 - Departmental Modification of Permit or of Mining and Reclamation Plan - (a) If the Department determines from the inspections of the...
Section 15-821 - Suspension or Revocation of a Permit - (a) (1) The Department shall serve written notice of a...
Section 15-822 - Mining and Reclamation Plan - (a) The applicant shall submit with his application for a...
Section 15-823 - Performance Bonds or Cash Deposits - (a) After receiving notification from the Department that the application...
Section 15-824 - Release of Bond - (a) On completion of the mining operations, and after the...
Section 15-825 - Forfeiture of Bond - (a) The performance bond or cash deposit in lieu of...
Section 15-826 - Mining After Forfeiture of Bond - No permittee may conduct surface mining within the State if...
Section 15-827 - Annual Mining and Reclamation Reports - (a) The permittee shall file an operations and progress report...
Section 15-828 - Inspection and Approval of Reclamation - (a) At any reasonable time which the Department elects, but...
Section 15-829 - Abandoned or Halted Operations - (a) An operation is considered abandoned if no mineral has...
Section 15-830 - Final Completion Inspection and Report - (a) On completion of reclamation of an area of affected...
Section 15-831 - Specifications for Construction Projects - Architects, engineers, or other persons preparing specifications for construction projects,...
Section 15-832 - Civil Action and Injunction - (a) In addition to the State prosecuting a criminal action...
Section 15-833 - Inapplicability of Subtitle - This subtitle, including reclamation requirements, does not apply to surface...
Section 15-834 - Exemptions - (a) (1) The provisions of this subtitle do not apply...
Subtitle 9 - Interstate Mining Compact
Section 15-901 - Terms - The Interstate Mining Compact is hereby enacted into law and...
Section 15-902 - Commission to File Copies of Bylaws With Department - In accordance with Article V (i) of the compact, the...
Subtitle 10 - Penalties and Fines
Section 15-1001 - Enumeration - (a) Any person who violates any provision of this title...
Subtitle 11 - Abandoned Mine Reclamation
Section 15-1101 - Definitions - (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings...
Section 15-1102 - Legislative Intent; Administration of Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program - It is the intention of the General Assembly to promote...
Section 15-1103 - Funds - (a) Except for funds deposited in the Acid Mine Drainage...
Section 15-1104 - Rules and Regulations; Cooperative Projects - (a) The Department is authorized to promulgate and enforce any...
Section 15-1105 - Development of Reclamation Plan; Federal Approval; Application for and Use of Funds - (a) The Department is authorized to develop a reclamation plan...
Section 15-1106 - Priorities in Expenditure of Funds; Lands and Water Eligible for Reclamation Expenditures - (a) The expenditure of funds available for the purposes of...
Section 15-1107 - Order Authorizing Entry for Purpose of Reclamation; Lien on Land; Determination of Increase in Land's Market Value - (a) (1) The Department may seek an order from the...
Section 15-1108 - Acquisition of Land - (a) The Department is authorized to acquire any land, by...
Section 15-1109 - Department's Right of Entry - The Department shall have the right to enter upon any...
Subtitle 12 - Maryland Dormant Mineral Interests Act
Section 15-1201 - Definitions - (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings...
Section 15-1202 - In General - (a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this...
Section 15-1203 - Action to Terminate Dormant Mineral Interest - (a) (1) On or after October 1, 2011, a surface...
Section 15-1204 - Preservation of Mineral Interests -- in General - (a) (1) An owner of a mineral interest may record,...
Section 15-1205 - Preservation of Mineral Interests -- Recordation of Late Notice - (a) In this section, “litigation expenses” means costs and expenses...
Section 15-1206 - Unknown or Missing Owners - (a) If the title to a severed mineral interest is...