Virginia Law

These regulations, consisting of Parts 700 through 882, establishes the procedures and requirements through which the Department of Energy and its Division of Mined Land Repurposing will implement the Virginia Coal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1979 (Chapter 10 ( § 45.2-1000 et seq.) of Title 45.2 of the Code of Virginia) and the Federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, (P.L. 95-87, 91 Stat. 445 (30 USC §§ 1201 et seq.)), pursuant to the Virginia permanent regulatory program, as approved by the United States Secretary of the Interior.

This Chapter is divided into nine Subchapters.

(a) Subchapter VA contains introductory information intended to serve as a guide to the rest of the Chapter and to the regulatory requirements and definitions generally applicable to the programs and persons covered by the Act.

(b) Subchapter VD identifies the procedures that apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations conducted on Federal lands rather than State or private lands and incorporates by reference the applicable requirements of the State regulatory program: Subchapters VG, VJ, VK, AND VL.

(c) Subchapter VF implements the requirements of the Act for--

(i) Designating lands which are unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining operations;

(ii) Terminating designation no longer found to be appropriate; and

(iii) Prohibiting surface coal mining and reclamation operations on those lands or areas where the Act states that surface coal mining operations should not be permitted or should be permitted only after specified determinations are made.

(d) Subchapter VG governs applications for and decisions on permits for surface coal mining and reclamation operations within the Commonwealth. It also governs coal exploration and permit application and decisions on permits for special categories of coal mining in the Commonwealth. Regulations implementing the experimental practices provision of the Act are also included in Subchapter VG.

(e) Subchapter VJ sets forth requirements for performance bonds and public liability insurance for surface mining, underground mining and coal exploration permits.

(f) Subchapter VK sets forth the environmental and other performance standards which apply to coal exploration and to surface coal mining and reclamation operations, as well as to special mining situations involved with steep slope mining, mountaintop removal mining, auger mining and prime farmlands.

(g) Subchapter VL sets forth the inspection, enforcement, and civil penalty provisions.

(h) Subchapter VM sets forth the requirements for the training, examination, and certification of blasters.

(i) Subchapter VR sets forth the regulations for the Abandoned Mine Land Program.