Missouri Revised Statutes
Chapter 444 - Rights and Duties of Miners and Mine Owners
Section 444.787 - Investigation by commission, attorney general to file suit — formal complaint procedure.

Effective - 28 Aug 2001
444.787. Investigation by commission, attorney general to file suit — formal complaint procedure. — 1. The commission shall investigate surface mining operations in the state of Missouri. If the investigations show that surface mining is being or is going to be conducted without a permit in violation of sections 444.760 to 444.790 or in violation of any revocation order, and the commission has not issued a variance, the commission shall request the attorney general to file suit in the name of the state of Missouri for an injunction and civil penalties not to exceed one thousand dollars per day for each day, or part thereof, the violation has occurred. Suit may be filed either in the county where the violation occurs or in Cole County.
2. If the investigation shows that a surface mining operation for which a permit has been issued is being conducted contrary to or in violation of any provision of sections 444.760 to 444.790 or any rule or regulation promulgated by the commission or any condition imposed on the permit or any condition of the bond, the director may by conference, conciliation and persuasion endeavor to eliminate the violation. If the violation is not eliminated, the director shall provide to the operator by registered mail a notice describing the nature of the violation, corrective measures to be taken to abate the violation, and the time period for abatement. Within fifteen days of receipt of this notice the operator may request an informal conference with the director to contest the notice. The director may modify, vacate or enforce the notice and shall provide notice to the operator of his action within thirty days of the informal conference. If the operator fails to comply with the notice, as amended by the director, in the time prescribed within the notice, the director shall file a formal complaint with the commission for suspension or revocation of the permit, and for forfeiture of bond, or for appropriate corrective measures. When the director files a formal complaint, the commission shall cause to have issued and served upon the person complained against a written notice together with a copy of the formal complaint, which shall specify the provision of sections 444.760 to 444.790 or the rule or regulation or the condition of the permit or of the bond of which the person is alleged to be in violation, a statement of the manner in, and the extent to which, the person is alleged to be in violation. The person complained against may, within fifteen days of receipt of the complaint, request a hearing before the commission. Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of section 444.789.
3. After due consideration of the hearing record, or upon failure of the operator to request a hearing by the date specified in the complaint, the commission shall issue and enter such final order and make such final determination as it shall deem appropriate under the circumstances. Included in such order and determination may be the revocation of any permit and to cease and desist operations. The commission shall immediately notify the respondent of its decision in writing by certified mail.
4. Any final order or determination or other final action by the commission shall be approved in writing by at least four members of the commission. The commission shall not issue any permit to any person who has had a permit revoked until the violation that caused the revocation is corrected to the satisfaction of the commission. Any final order of the commission can be appealed in accordance with chapter 536.
­­--------
(L. 1990 H.B. 1584, A.L. 1991 S.B. 45, A.L. 2001 H.B. 453)

Structure Missouri Revised Statutes

Missouri Revised Statutes

Title XXIX - Ownership and Conveyance of Property

Chapter 444 - Rights and Duties of Miners and Mine Owners

Section 444.010 - Mineral land owner to post conditions under which mining operations may be conducted thereon.

Section 444.020 - Failure to post statement of conditions, effect — rights of miners.

Section 444.030 - Tender of payment.

Section 444.040 - Notice to owner or lessee.

Section 444.050 - Ownership of ore.

Section 444.060 - Injunction or restraining order — how granted.

Section 444.070 - Mining extending to adjoining lands, how determined.

Section 444.080 - Order to be read.

Section 444.090 - Refusal to permit survey — penalty.

Section 444.100 - Provisions for mining coal in certain cities.

Section 444.110 - Notice of intention to mine — publication required.

Section 444.120 - Permit from mayor and council — petition to circuit court.

Section 444.130 - Court to authorize mining operations, when — period of time specified.

Section 444.140 - Form of bond required.

Section 444.150 - Written permission of owner required — violation — provisions for payment of fine.

Section 444.160 - Costs, paid by whom.

Section 444.170 - Diagram showing character and extent of mining operations to be filed in court — forfeiture for failure to comply.

Section 444.180 - Certain sections apply only to coal mining companies.

Section 444.320 - Mining under public highways and railroads prohibited.

Section 444.330 - Penalty for violation of section 444.320.

Section 444.350 - Citation of law.

Section 444.352 - Definitions.

Section 444.355 - Director, powers.

Section 444.358 - Permit required, when.

Section 444.360 - Application for permit, contents.

Section 444.362 - Closure plan, purposes, contents, review of.

Section 444.365 - Inspection — maintenance plan, purposes, contents, review of.

Section 444.368 - Financial assurance instrument required, form, amount — confidential information not to be released — duration, use, forfeiture — release of.

Section 444.370 - Processing fee, annual permit fee — metallic minerals waste management fund, created, uses.

Section 444.372 - Permits, final approval by director — denial of permit, procedures.

Section 444.375 - Inspections, investigations, director to perform — civil penalties authorized, procedures — emergency situations, powers of director.

Section 444.376 - Administrative penalties, assessment, restriction — conference, conciliation and persuasion — rules — payment — appeal — collection, disposition.

Section 444.377 - Hearings, procedures.

Section 444.378 - Violations, procedures to forfeit the financial assurance instrument, attorney general to assist, when.

Section 444.380 - Rules, authority, promulgation, procedure.

Section 444.400 - Mining compact — purpose, definitions — commission, budget, powers and programs — construction.

Section 444.410 - Members, interstate mining commission — appointment — compensation.

Section 444.500 - Citation of law.

Section 444.510 - Definitions.

Section 444.520 - Commission, membership, qualifications, terms, compensation, powers — department director, limitation on.

Section 444.530 - Powers of commission — rules, procedure.

Section 444.535 - Rules and regulations, commission shall make — variances, procedures, conditions — section not to apply, when.

Section 444.540 - Annual strip mining permit required, fee, renewal.

Section 444.550 - Application for permit, contents.

Section 444.560 - Reclamation plan required, contents.

Section 444.570 - Bond, amount — commission may waive.

Section 444.580 - Annual permit, how amended.

Section 444.590 - Successor operator, assumption of liability — first operator released, when.

Section 444.600 - Permit — investigation, decision, hearing, court review — appeals.

Section 444.610 - Reclamation and care requirements.

Section 444.620 - Time limits on reclamation practices.

Section 444.630 - Report, when required, contents.

Section 444.640 - Commission to investigate all reports — release from bond, when.

Section 444.650 - Application for release from bond — objection, effect of — appeal.

Section 444.660 - Additional time, granted when.

Section 444.670 - Commission may inspect and search — warrant, where obtained.

Section 444.680 - Injunction, when — violation, procedure — hearing.

Section 444.690 - Testimony at hearing, how recorded — available, when.

Section 444.700 - Judicial review, when — additional evidence authorized.

Section 444.710 - Injunction and forfeiture of bond, when — attorney general to act.

Section 444.720 - Rules and regulations, when effective — notice, hearing — variances authorized.

Section 444.730 - Mined land reclamation fund created — purpose.

Section 444.740 - Commission authorized to receive funds and services.

Section 444.750 - Recreational use of reclaimed lands encouraged.

Section 444.755 - Repeal of existing law not intended.

Section 444.760 - Short title.

Section 444.762 - Declaration of policy.

Section 444.765 - Definitions.

Section 444.766 - Exceptions to land reclamation act provisions.

Section 444.767 - Powers of commission — rules, procedure, review.

Section 444.768 - Fee, bond, or assessment structure, comprehensive review — proposal to be submitted, approval by commission — rulemaking requirements.

Section 444.770 - Permit required, when — release of certain bonds — complaints, requirements.

Section 444.771 - Limitation on permits near an accredited school.

Section 444.772 - Permit — application, contents, fees — amendment, how made — successor operator, duties of — fees expire, when.

Section 444.773 - Director to investigate applications — decision to issue or deny — denial of permit, appeal, procedure — commission to issue decision.

Section 444.774 - Reclamation requirements and conditions.

Section 444.775 - Release of bond, conditions — petition, hearing — administrative review.

Section 444.777 - Entry upon lands and inspection by commission members — warrants to issue.

Section 444.778 - Bond — form — amount — duration — forfeiture — power of reclamation.

Section 444.782 - Attorney general to represent commission, when — hearings on bond forfeiture, notice.

Section 444.784 - Commission rules and regulations authorized — delegation of authority — forfeiture funds, where expended.

Section 444.786 - Operation without permit prohibited, penalty.

Section 444.787 - Investigation by commission, attorney general to file suit — formal complaint procedure.

Section 444.788 - Civil action.

Section 444.789 - Administrative procedure — inapplicability to public meetings.

Section 444.790 - Administrative penalties — not to be assessed for minor violation, definition — amount set by rule, limitation — payment when — appeal, effect — surcharge due when — unpaid penalty, collection — time limitation to assess violation —...

Section 444.800 - Citation of law — legislative intent declared — rules and regulations authorized, procedure.

Section 444.805 - Definitions.

Section 444.810 - Powers of commission — abandoned mine reclamation fund created, purpose.

Section 444.815 - Permits required, kind, when to be obtained — term — effect of lack of operation — renewals — exemptions.

Section 444.820 - Permit fees — contents of application — confidential items — copy to be filed with recorder of deeds — insurance required.

Section 444.825 - Reclamation plan contents — confidential items.

Section 444.830 - Phase I reclamation bond to be filed, when — adjustment of amount of bond and terms, by commission, when.

Section 444.835 - Permit to be granted or application to be modified or denied — notification required — requirements to be met before permit to be issued — additional items to be filed with application — exemptions.

Section 444.840 - Revision of permit, procedure — transfer or assignment to have prior approval — commission may require permit revision — operator may be released from liability.

Section 444.845 - Coal exploration permit required — contents of application — bond required — confidential items — limitation on removal of coal — sections 444.800 to 444.940 applicable to coal exploration rules and regulations.

Section 444.850 - Publication of intent — notification to local governments — comments and objections may be filed, procedure — conferences, findings — hearings — appeals.

Section 444.855 - Performance standards to be met in surface mining operations — explosives — reclamation efforts.

Section 444.860 - Performance standards to be met in underground mining operations — rules and regulations.

Section 444.865 - Records and reports required — entry and inspection authorized — ownership information to be displayed — commission employees not to engage in mining, penalty — employees to file financial statements.

Section 444.870 - Penalties, administrative and criminal, procedure.

Section 444.875 - Release of all or part of performance bond, procedure — objections may be filed.

Section 444.880 - Actions to compel compliance, limitation — costs of litigation — actions for damages.

Section 444.885 - Cessation orders — suspension or revocation of permits — injunctive relief.

Section 444.890 - Commission to designate areas unsuitable for surface mining — review required — excepted lands — procedure.

Section 444.895 - Review of cessation orders and permit suspensions and revocations — procedure — temporary relief — hearings, conduct.

Section 444.900 - Judicial review.

Section 444.905 - Severability — rights retained — replacement of water — explosives regulations.

Section 444.915 - Abandoned mine reclamation fund — deposits and expenditures.

Section 444.920 - Abandoned mine reclamation fund, commission's duties and powers.

Section 444.925 - Entry upon property by commission staff, procedure — acquisition of land by commission — use and disposal of land — price — public hearings.

Section 444.930 - Liens for corrective measures — amount, filing, valuation — appeals, priority of liens.

Section 444.935 - Public health hazards — actions to abate, procedure.

Section 444.940 - Report on fund required — administration of fund, rules and regulations — authorized activities — water pollution treatment.

Section 444.950 - Phase I reclamation bond requirements — rules, procedure to adopt — rights and duties of mine owners.

Section 444.955 - Revegetation of mined land, responsibility transfer, approval required.

Section 444.960 - Fund, coal mine land reclamation, established, purpose, duties.

Section 444.965 - Assessment for fund, amount paid, when — additional assessment, determined how, when.

Section 444.970 - Penalty — delinquency or failure to comply with assessment or reclamation plan.

Section 444.980 - Appeal of permit decision, procedure.