82-4-402. Intent, findings, and policy. (1) The legislature, mindful of its constitutional obligations under Article II, section 3, and Article IX of the Montana constitution, has enacted The Opencut Mining Act. It is the legislature's intent that the requirements of this part provide adequate remedies for the protection of the environmental life support system from degradation and provide adequate remedies to prevent unreasonable depletion and degradation of natural resources.

(2) Because the extraction and use of opencut materials is important to the economy of this state, it is the policy of this state to provide for the reclamation and conservation of land subjected to opencut operations. Therefore, it is the purpose of this part:

(a) to preserve natural resources;

(b) to aid in the protection of wildlife and aquatic resources;

(c) to safeguard and reclaim through effective means and methods all agricultural, recreational, home, and industrial sites subjected to or that may be affected by opencut operations;

(d) to protect and perpetuate the taxable value of property through reclamation;

(e) to protect scenic, scientific, historic, or other unique areas; and

(f) to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the people of this state.