§1262 Coal exploration permits

Summary

States and federal mining programs must require that coal exploration that seriously disturbs the land follow rules set by the mining regulator. People must file a notice before exploring that says where and when they will work. The rules must also require restoring all disturbed land, including pits, roads, drill holes, and removing equipment, to the law’s performance standards. Trade secrets or private business and financial information filed as confidential will not be open to the public. People who break these rules will face legal penalties. No operator may remove more than 250 tons of coal under an exploration permit without the regulator’s written approval. Coal exploration on federal land follows the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1975.