A. The Department shall establish a planning process enabling objective decisions based upon competent and scientifically sound data and information as to which, if any, land areas or this state are unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining operations pursuant to the standards set forth in this section but such designation shall not prevent the mineral exploration pursuant to this act of any area so designated.

B. Upon petition, the Department shall designate an area as unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining operations if the Department determines that reclamation pursuant to the requirements of this act is not technologically and economically feasible.

C. Upon petition, a surface area may be designated unsuitable for certain types of surface coal mining operations if such operations will:

1. Be incompatible with existing state or local land use plans or programs;

2. Affect fragile or historic lands in which such operations could result in significant damage to important historic, cultural, scientific and esthetic values and natural systems;

3. Affect renewable resource lands in which such operations could result in a substantial loss or reduction of long-range productivity of water supply or of food or fiber products, and such lands to include aquifers and aquifer recharge areas; or

4. Affect natural hazard lands in which such operations could substantially endanger life and property, such lands to include areas subject to frequent flooding and areas of unstable geology.

D. Determinations of the unsuitability of land for surface coal mining, as provided for in this section, shall be integrated as closely as possible with present and future land use planning and regulation processes at the federal, state and local levels.

E. The requirements of this section shall not apply to lands on which surface coal mining operations were being conducted on August 3, 1977, or under a permit issued pursuant to this act or the Coal Reclamation Act of 1978, or where substantial legal and financial commitments in such operation were in existence prior to January 4, 1977.

Laws 1979, c. 249, § 48, emerg. eff. June 1, 1979.