82-4-434. Reclamation plan part of contract -- requirements. The contract must meet the following requirements:
     (1) The operator shall submit a reclamation plan to the department before commencing any opencut mining and may not commence mining before the plan receives approval from the department. The operator may request and receive a meeting with the department prior to submission of the plan. If the department does not notify the operator that it has approved or disapproved a plan within 30 days after the department has received the plan, the department is considered to have approved the plan. The department, however, for sufficient cause, may extend its period of consideration for an additional 30 days if it notifies the operator prior to the end of the original 30-day period. The department shall submit each reclamation plan or amendments to the reclamation plan to the landowner for recommendations and shall consider those recommendations in deciding whether to approve or disapprove any plan or amendments. The department may seek technical help from any state or federal agency. The board shall submit the plan immediately to the director of the university of Montana statewide archaeological survey for evaluation of possible archaeological or historical values in the area to be mined. The department may approve a reclamation plan only if the department has found that the plan provides for the best possible reclamation procedures available under the circumstances at the time, so that after mining operations are completed, the affected land will be reclaimed to a productive use. Once the reclamation plan is accepted in writing by the department, it must become a part of the contract but is subject to annual review and modification by the department.
     (2) The department may not approve any reclamation plan unless the plan provides:
     (a) that the land will be reclaimed for one or more specified uses, including but not limited to forest, pasture, orchard, cropland, residence, recreation, industry, and habitat for wildlife, including food, cover, or water, or other uses;
     (b) that to the extent reasonable and practicable, the operator will establish vegetative cover commensurate with the proposed land use;
     (c) whenever operations result in a need to prevent acid drainage or sedimentation on or in adjoining lands or streams, for the construction of earth dams or other reasonable devices to control water drainage, provided the formation of the impoundments or devices will not interfere with other landowners' rights or contribute to water pollution;
     (d) that to accomplish practical utilization of soil materials, the material will be utilized for placement on affected areas, if required by the reclamation plan after completion or termination of that particular phase of the mining operations, at a depth sufficient for plant growth on slopes of 3:1 or less;
     (e) that grading will be commensurate with the topography sought and land use designated;
     (f) that metal and other waste will be removed or buried;
     (g) that all access, haul, and other support roads will be located, constructed, and maintained in such a manner as to control and minimize channeling and other erosion;
     (h) that the operator will submit a progress report annually to the department;
     (i) that all operations will be conducted to avoid range and forest fires and spontaneous combustion and that open burning of carbonaceous materials will be in accordance with suitable practices for fire prevention and control;
     (j) that archaeological and historical values in areas to be mined will be given appropriate protection;
     (k) that except for rock faces, bench faces, and excavations used for water impoundments, each surface area of the mined premises that will be disturbed will be revegetated when its use for extractive purposes is no longer required;
     (l) that seeding and planting will be done in a manner to achieve a permanent suitable vegetative cover for wildlife, livestock, and retardation of erosion and that all seed will be drilled unless otherwise provided in the plan;
     (m) that reclamation will be as concurrent with mining operations as feasible and will be completed within a specified length of time; and
     (n) that surface water and ground water will be given appropriate protection, consistent with state law, from deterioration of water quality and quantity that may arise as a result of the operation.
     (3) If reclamation according to the plan has not been completed in the time specified, the department after 30 days' written notice shall order the operator to cease mining and, if the operator does not cease, shall institute an action to enjoin further operation and may sue for damages for breach of contract, for payment of the performance bond, or for both.
     (4) (a) At any time during the period of reclamation, the operator may for good reason submit to the department a new reclamation plan or amendments to the existing plan, including extensions of time.
     (b) The department may approve the proposed new reclamation plan or amendments to the existing plan if:
     (i) the operator has in good faith carried on reclamation according to the existing plan and the proposed new plan or amendments to the existing plan will result in reclamation as or more desirable than the reclamation proposed under the existing plan; or
     (ii) it is highly improbable reclamation will be successful unless the existing plan is replaced or amended.
     (c) When accepted, the proposed new reclamation plan or the proposed amendments to the existing plan become a part of the contract.
     (5) The operator shall provide a performance bond or an alternative acceptable to the department in an amount commensurate with the estimated cost of reclamation, but in no case may the bond be less than $200 per acre. The estimated cost of reclamation must be set forth in the reclamation plan.
     (6) The contract, reclamation plan, and amendments accepted by the department are a public record and are open to inspection.
     (7) The contract is effective when signed by the department and the operator and remains in force until terminated by mutual consent or by the department upon 6 months' notice.

     History: En. Sec. 10, Ch. 326, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 23, Ch. 39, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 50-1510; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 280, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 58, Ch. 16, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 413, Ch. 418, L. 1995.