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A.  Any person planning to conduct exploration operations as defined in this Chapter shall obtain an exploration permit from the commissioner prior to conducting such exploration operations.  The commissioner shall adopt regulations controlling the issuance of such permits, and such regulations shall require at a minimum that:

(1)  An application for an exploration permit include a description of the proposed exploration area and the period of the proposed exploration.

(2)  All lands disturbed by exploration operations which substantially disturb the surface be reclaimed in accordance with the performance standards in Section 915 of Chapter 9.  The term “land disturbed” shall include excavations, roads, drill holes, and the removal of necessary facilities and equipment.

(3)  The exploration permittee properly plug all holes before abandonment and submit a report to the commissioner within six months after expiration of the permit stating and attesting further that each hole has been properly plugged when abandoned.

(4)  The applicant submits an application fee of $50.00.

(5)  The applicant submits such reasonable bond with security as the commissioner may require to assure performance of the required reclamation and plugging obligations, said bond to be released when the report required above has been submitted and the reclamation and plugging obligations have been satisfied.

Within thirty days after receipt of a complete application, application fee and bond the commissioner shall issue an exploration permit, with a term not to exceed one year.  All logs and core analyses obtained by any person conducting exploration activities pursuant to this subsection shall be furnished to the commissioner within five years after expiration of the applicable exploration permits unless such data will be or is intended to be submitted as part of an application for a mining permit.

B.  Any person planning to conduct development operations as defined in this Chapter shall obtain a development operations permit from the commissioner prior to conducting any development operations.  The commissioner shall adopt regulations controlling the issuance of such permits, and such regulations shall require at a minimum that:

(1)  An application for a development operations permit include a description of the area of the proposed development operations and the period of the proposed operations.

(2)  All land disturbed by the development operations, including excavations, roads, drill holes and the removal of necessary facilities and equipment, be reclaimed in accordance with the performance standards in Section 915 of Chapter 9.

(3)  An application contain a reclamation plan, including a description of the means to be used and an estimate of the cost of reclamation per acre.

(4)  The applicant submit a $75 application fee and a reasonable bond with sufficient security to assure performance of the reclamation duties required by Chapter 9.  The bond shall be released when the reclamation requirements have been completed.

Within thirty days after receipt of a complete application, application fee and bond the commissioner shall issue a development operations permit with a term not to exceed 18 months.

C.  Any person who conducts any coal exploration and/or development activities which substantially disturb the natural land surface in violation of this section or regulations issued pursuant thereto shall be subject to the provisions of Section 918.

D.  Coal exploration on Federal lands shall be governed by Section 4 of the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1975 (90 Stat. 1085).¹

Acts 1978, No. 406, §1.

¹30 U.S.C.A. §201(b).