The chief of the division of mineral resources management shall designate the townships in which mineable or quarryable coal or other mineral is or may be mined or quarried, which townships shall be considered coal or mineral bearing townships. The chief shall divide the coal or other mineral bearing townships into such districts as the chief deems best for inspection purposes, and the chief may change such districts whenever, in the chief's judgment, the best interests of the service require.

The chief shall designate as provided in this section as coal or mineral bearing townships those townships in which coal is being mined or in which coal is found in such thickness as to make the mining of the coal or mineral probable at some future time, and shall designate the township as a unit. As used in this chapter and Chapters 1563., 1565., and 1567. of the Revised Code, "coal or mineral bearing township" means a township that has been so designated by the chief under this section.

The chief shall also designate the townships in which coal is being mined or in which coal is found in such thickness as to make the mining of the coal probable at some future time as "coal bearing townships" as that term is used in Chapter 1509. of the Revised Code. The chief shall certify to the chief of the division of oil and gas resources management the townships that are designated as coal bearing townships.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 06-14-2000 .