R645-100-100. Scope

110. General Overview. The rules presented herein establish the procedures through which the Utah State Division of Oil, Gas and Mining will implement those provisions of the Coal Mining Reclamation Act of 1979, (the Act) pertaining to the effects of coal mining and reclamation operations and pertaining to coal exploration.

120. R645 Rules Organization. The R645 Rules have been subdivided into the four major functional aspects of the Division's coal mining and exploration State Program.

121. The heading entitled ADMINISTRATIVE encompasses general introductory material, definitions applicable throughout the R645 Rules, procedures for the exemption of certain coal extraction activities, designating areas unsuitable for coal mining, protection of employees, and requirements for blaster certification.

122. The heading entitled COAL EXPLORATION establishes the minimum requirements for acquiring approval and identifies performance standards for coal exploration.

123. The heading entitled COAL MINE PERMITTING describes certain procedural requirements and options attendant to the coal mine permitting process. Moreover, the minimum requirements for acquiring a permit for a coal mining and reclamation operation are identified.

124. The heading entitled INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT delineates the authority, administrative procedures, civil penalties, and employee protection attendant to the Division's inspection and enforcement program.

130. Effective Date. The provisions of R645-100 through and including R645-402 will become effective and enforceable upon final approval by the Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Department of the Interior. Existing coal regulatory program rules, R645 Chapters I and II, will be in effect until approval of R645-100 through R645-402 by the Office of Surface Mining and will be considered repealed upon approval of R645-100 through R645-402.