A. The licensed operator or his agent shall send notice of intent to abandon or discontinue the working of an underground mine for a period of thirty days or a surface mine for a period of sixty days to the Department at least ten days prior to discontinuing the working of a mine with such intent, or at any time a mine becomes an inactive mine.

B. The licensed operator, or his agent, shall send to the Department ten days' prior notice of intent to resume the working of an inactive mine. Except for a surface mineral mine which is inspected by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the working of such mine shall not resume until a mine inspector has inspected the mine and approved it.

C. Emergency actions necessary to preserve a mine may be undertaken without the prior notice of intent and advance inspection required by subsection B. In such event, a mine foreman shall examine a mine for hazardous conditions immediately before miners are permitted to work. The licensed operator, or his agent, shall notify the Department as soon as possible after commencing emergency action necessary to preserve the mine.

D. The licensed operator, or his agent, shall send to the Department ten days' prior notice of any change in the name of a mine or in the name of the operation of a mine.

E. The licensed operator, or his agent, shall send to the Department ten days' prior notice of the opening of a new mine.

F. Any notice required by this section shall be in writing and shall include the name of the mine, the location of the mine, the name of the licensed operator, and the licensed operator's mailing address.

1997, c. 390; 1998, c. 695.