Section 817.131. Cessation of operations; temporary

(a) The permittee shall effectively support and maintain all surface access openings to underground operations, and secure surface facilities in areas in which there are no current operations, but in which operations are to be resumed under an approved permit. Temporary abandonment shall not relieve a permittee of his obligation to comply with any provisions of the approved permit.

(b) Before temporary cessation of mining and reclamation operations for a period of 30 days or more, or as soon as it is known that a temporary cessation will extend beyond 30 days, the permittee shall submit to the division, a notice of intention to cease or abandon mining and reclamation operations. This notice shall include a statement of the exact number of surface acres and the horizontal and vertical extent of the subsurface strata which have been affected in the permit area prior to abandonment or cessation, the extent and kind of reclamation of those areas which will have been accomplished, identification of the backfilling, regrading, revegetation, environmental monitoring, underground opening closures and water treatment activities that will continue during the temporary cessation, and the anticipated time period for which the temporary cessation of mining and reclamation operations will be in effect.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR480-03-19 § 817.131, eff. December 15, 1981; amended, eff. June 28, 1982; October 28, 1982; December 14, 1982; October 11, 1983; December 27, 1983; May 8, 1984; June 22, 1984; August 2, 1984; October 16, 1985; January 7, 1987; July 22, 1987; November 25, 1987; October 12, 1988; December 26, 1990; July 1, 1991; July 17, 1991; November 20, 1991; July 7, 1992; May 5, 1993; October 19, 1994.

Statutory Authority

§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-230 of the Code of Virginia.