49-405d. Inspections, when; reports; signs, where, required information; violations; public records. (a) Departmental inspections shall be made on an irregular basis averaging not less than one partial inspection per month and one complete inspection per calendar quarter for the mining and reclamation operations covered by each permit. Inspections shall occur without prior notice to the operator or its agents or employees except for necessary on site meetings and shall include filing of inspection reports adequate to enforce the requirements of and to carry out the terms and purposes of this act. When an inspection results from information provided to the department by any person, either directly or through the secretary of the interior, the secretary shall notify such person when the inspection is proposed to be carried out, and such person shall be allowed to accompany the inspector during the inspection.

(b) Each operator shall maintain at the entrances of the surface coal mining and reclamation operations a clearly visible sign which sets forth the name, business address, and phone number of the operator and the permit number of the surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(c) Each inspector, upon detection of each violation of any requirement of this act, or the national surface mining control and reclamation act of 1977 (public law 95-87), shall inform the operator in writing, and shall report in writing any such violation to the secretary.

(d) Copies of any records, reports, inspection materials, or information obtained under this title by the department shall be made immediately available to the public at the department's field office so that they are conveniently available to residents in the areas of mining.

History: L. 1979, ch. 169, § 14; L. 1988, ch. 192, § 13; July 1.