(a) This part contains all rules that are applicable to surface coal mining operations in Georgia which have been adopted under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

(b) The rules in this part cross-reference pertinent parts of the permanent program regulations in this chapter. The full text of a rule is in the permanent program rule cited under the relevant section of the Georgia Federal program.

(c) The rules in this part apply to all surface coal mining operations in Georgia conducted on non-Federal and non-Indian lands. The rules in subchapter D of this chapter apply to operations on Federal lands in Georgia.

(d) The information collection requirements contained in this part do not require approval by the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3507 because there are fewer than ten respondents annually.

(e) The following provisions of Georgia laws provide, where applicable, for more stringent environmental control and regulation of surface coal mining operations than do the provisions of the Act and the regulations in this chapter. Therefore, pursuant to section 505(b) of the Act, they shall not be construed to be inconsistent with the Act:

(1) Georgia Code Ann. section 56-412 pertaining to limitation of risks for insurance companies.

(2) Georgia Code Ann. section 414-1306 pertaining to the limitation on loan amounts made by banks.

(3) Georgia Safe Dams Act of 1978 and the Rules for Dam Safety, Chapter 391-3-8 of the Rules of the Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division.

(4) Chapter 391-34 of the rules of the Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, pertaining to solid waste management.

(5) Georgia Seed Laws and Rules and Regulations containing the Noxious Weed List.

(f) The following are Georgia laws that interfere with the achievement of the purposes and requirements of the act and are, in accordance with Section 504(g) of the Act, preempted and superseded:

(1) The Georgia Surface Mining Act of 1968, Georgia Code Ann. Section 43-1401 et seq., but not to the extent that it regulates surface coal mining operations which affect two acres or less or are otherwise not regulated by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.

(2) Rules for Land Reclamation, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Chapter 391-3-3(1976), but not to the extent that such regulations apply to surface coal mining operations which affect two areas or less or are otherwise not regulated by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.

Sections 700.5, 700.11, 700.12, 700.13, 700.14, 700.15 and part 701 of this chapter shall apply to surface coal mining operations in Georgia.

Part 702 of this chapter, Exemption for Coal Extraction Incidental to the Extraction of Other Minerals, shall apply to any person who conducts coal extraction incidental to the extraction of other minerals for purposes of commercial use or sale.

Part 707 of this chapter, Exemption for Coal Extraction Incidental to Government-Financed Highway or Other Construction, shall apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 761 of this chapter, Areas Designated by Act of Congress, shall apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 762 of this chapter, Criteria for Designating Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations, shall apply to surface coal mine operations beginning on April 9, 1983.

Part 764 of this chapter, State Processes for Designating Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations, pertaining to petitioning, initial processing, hearing requirements, decisions, data base and inventory systems, public information, and regulatory responsibilities shall apply to surface coal mine operations beginning on April 9, 1983.

(a) Part 772 of this chapter, Requirements for Coal Exploration, shall apply to any person who conducts or seeks to conduct coal exploration operations.

(b) The Office shall make every effort to act on an exploration application within 60 days of receipt or such longer time as may be reasonable under the circumstances. If additional time is needed, OSMRE shall notify the applicant that the application is being reviewed, but that more time is necessary to complete such reviews, setting forth the reasons and the additional time that is needed.

(a) Part 773 of this chapter, Requirements for Permits and Permit Processing, shall apply to any person who applies for a permit for surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) In addition to the requirements of part 773, the following permit application review procedures shall apply:

(1) Any person applying for a permit shall submit five copies of the application to the Office.

(2) The Office shall review an application for administrative completeness and acceptability for further review and shall notify the applicant in writing of the findings. The Office may:

(i) Reject a flagrantly deficient application, notifying the applicant of the findings;

(ii) Request additional information required for completeness stating specifically what information must be supplied and negotiate the date by which the information must be submitted; or

(iii) Judge the application administratively complete and acceptable for further review.

(3) Should the applicant not submit the information as required by § 910.773(b)(2)(ii) by the specified date, the Office may reject the application. When the applicant submits the required information by the specified date, the Office shall review it and advise the applicant concerning its acceptability.

(4) When the application is judged administratively complete, the applicant shall be advised by the Office to file the public notice required § 773.6 of this chapter.

(5) A representative of the Office shall visit the proposed permit area to determine whether the operation and reclamation plans are consistent with actual site conditions. The applicant will be notified in advance of the time of the visit. At the time of the visit, the applicant shall have the locations of the proposed permit boundaries, topsoil storage areas, sediment control structures, roads, and other significant features contained in the application marked by flags.

(c) In addition to the information required by subchapter G of this chapter, the Office may require an applicant to submit supplementary information to ensure compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations other than the Act.

(d) Issuance of permits shall also be coordinated with permits issued pursuant to the Georgia Water Quality Control Act, section 17-501; the Georgia Solid Waste Management Act, section 43-1681; the Georgia Air Quality Act of 1973; the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management Act of 1979; the Georgia Groundwater Use Act; and the rules of the Georgia Fire Safety Commission on blasters' permits.

(e) The Secretary shall provide for coordination of review and issuance of permits for surface mining and reclamation operations with applicable requirements of the Georgia Wildflower Preservation Act of 1973, section 43-1801 et seq.; the Georgia Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973, section 43-2101 et seq.; the Georgia Heritage Trust Act of 1975, section 43-2301 et seq.; and the Georgia Cave Protection Act of 1977, section 43-2501 et seq.

(a) Part 774 of this chapter, Revision; Renewal; and Transfer, Assignment, or Sale of Permit Rights, shall apply to any such actions involving surface coal mining and reclamation operations permits.

(b) Any revision to the approved permit will be subject to review and approval by OSMRE.

(1) Significant revisions shall be processed as if they are new applications in accordance with the public notice and hearing provisions of §§ 773.6, 773.19(b) (1) and (2), and 778.21 and of part 775.

(2) OSMRE shall make every effort to approve or disapprove an application for permit revision within 60 days of receipt or such longer time as may be reasonable under the circumstances. If additional time is needed, OSMRE shall notify the applicant that the application is being reviewed, but more time is necessary to complete such review, setting forth the reasons and the additional time that is needed.

(c) In addition to the requirements of part 774 of this chapter, any person having an interest which is or may be adversely affected by a decision on the transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights, including an official of any Federal, State, or local government agency, may submit written comments on the application to the Office within thirty days of either the publication of the newspaper advertisement required by § 774.17(b)(2) of this chapter or receipt of an administratively complete application, whichever, is later.

Part 775 of this chapter, Administrative and Judicial Review of Decisions, shall apply to all decisions on permits.

Part 777 of this chapter, General Content Requirements for Permit applications, shall apply to any person who applies for a permit to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 778 of this chapter, Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Legal, Financial, Compliance, and Related Information, shall apply to any person who applies for a permit to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 779 of this chapter, Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources, shall apply to any person who makes application to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(a) Part 780 of this chapter, Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirement for Reclamation and Operation Plan, shall apply to any person who makes application to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) The application for a permit shall also demonstrate compliance with the air quality control standards in Chapter 391-3-1 of the Rules and Regulations for Air Quality Control of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Part 783 of this chapter, Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources, shall apply to any person who submits an application to conduct underground mining operations.

(a) Part 784 of this chapter, Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan, shall apply to any person who makes application to conduct underground mining.

(b) The applicant for a permit to conduct underground mining operations shall demonstrate compliance with Chapter 391-3-1 of the Rules and Regulations of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Part 785 of this chapter, Requirements for Permits for Special Categories of Mining, shall apply to each person who makes application for a permit to conduct certain categories of surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 795 of this chapter, Small Operator Assistance, shall apply to any person making application for assistance under the small operator assistance program.

Part 800 of this chapter, General Requirements for Bonding of Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Operations Under Regulatory Programs, shall apply to all surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 815 of this chapter, Permanent Program Performance Standards—Coal Exploration, shall apply to any person conducting coal exploration operations.

(a) Part 816 of this chapter, Permanent Program Performance Standards—Surface Mining Activities, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) No person shall conduct surface coal mining operations except in compliance with the Georgia Safe Dams Act and Rules for Safety of the Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division; the Solid Waste Management Rules of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Chapter 391-3-4; and the Georgia Seed Laws and Regulation 4.

(a) Part 817 of this chapter, Permanent Program Performance Standards—Underground Mining Activities, shall apply to any person who conducts underground mining operations.

(b) No person shall conduct surface coal mining operations except in compliance with the Georgia Safe Dams Act and Rules for Safety of the Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division; the Solid Waste Management Rules of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Chapter 391-3-4; and the Georgia Seed Laws and Regulation 4.

Part 819 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Auger Mining, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining operations which include auger mining.

Part 823 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Operations on Prime Farmland, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining and reclamation operations on prime farmlands.

Part 824 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Mountaintop Removal, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining operations constituting mountaintop removal mining.

Part 827 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Coal Processing Plants and Support Facilities Not Located at or Near the Minesite or Not Within the Permit Area for a Mine, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining and reclamation operations which includes the operation of coal processing plants and support facilities not located at or near the minesite or not within the permit area for a mine.

Part 828 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—In Situ Processing, shall apply to any person who conducts in situ processing activities.

(a) Part 842 of this chapter, Federal Inspections, shall apply to all exploration and surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) The Office will furnish a copy of any inspection report or enforcement action taken to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources upon request.

(a) Part 843 of this chapter, Federal Enforcement, shall apply when enforcement action is required for violations on surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) The Office will furnish a copy of each enforcement action and order to show cause issued pursuant to this section to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources upon request.

Part 845 of this chapter, Civil Penalties, shall apply when civil penalties are assessed for violations on surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 846 of this chapter, Individual Civil Penalties, shall apply to the assessment of individual civil penalties under section 518(f) of the Act.

Part 955 of this chapter, Certification of Blasters in Federal Program States and on Indian Lands, shall apply to the training, examination and certification of blasters for surface coal mining and reclamation operations.