A. Operators filing permit applications for coal surface mining operations participating in the pool fund shall be required to pay into the Fund, as an entrance fee, a sum equal to $1,000 for each applicable permit application. An entrance fee of $5,000 shall be required of all operators who elect to participate in the Fund when the Director has determined the total balance of the Fund is less than $1,750,000. The entrance fee shall be reduced to $1,000 when the total Fund balance is greater than $2 million. A renewal fee of $1,000 shall be required of all permittees in the Fund at permit renewal.

1. For the purposes of this section, all planned expenditures shall be deducted from the balance of the Fund during each calendar quarter, including forfeitures on which engineering cost estimates have been prepared, but no money has actually been expended from the Fund.

2. Should the actual expenditures from the Fund be less than the engineering cost estimate, then the difference shall be credited to the balance of the Fund during the calendar quarter in which the final expenditure is made from the Fund to accomplish the reclamation.

B. In addition to the initial payments into the Fund described in subsection A of this section, all operators that participate in the Fund shall furnish to the Fund a bond which meets the criteria of § 45.1-241 and regulations issued pursuant thereto as follows:

1. For those underground mining operations participating in the Fund prior to July 1, 1991, the amount of $1,000 per acre covered by each permit. In no event shall such total bond be less than $40,000, except that on permits which have completed all mining and for which completion reports have been approved prior to July 1, 1991, the total bond shall not be less than $10,000.

2. For underground mining operations entering the Fund on or after July 1, 1991, and for additional acreage bonded on or after July 1, 1991, the amount of $3,000 per acre. In no event shall the total bond for such underground operations entering the Fund on or after July 1, 1991, be less than $40,000.

3. For other coal mining operations participating in the Fund prior to July 1, 1991, the amount of $1,500 per acre covered by each permit. In no event shall such total bond be less than $100,000, except that on permits which have completed all mining and for which completion reports have been approved prior to July 1, 1991, the total bond shall not be less than $25,000.

4. For other coal mining operations entering the Fund on or after July 1, 1991, and for additional acreage bonded on or after July 1, 1991, the amount of $3,000 per acre. In no event shall the total bond for such operations entering the Fund on or after July 1, 1991, be less than $100,000.

C. All fees and payments provided in this article shall be in addition to initial permit application and anniversary payments provided pursuant to § 45.1-235 or any other payments required in compliance with this chapter.

D. Fund participants shall be allowed to post incremental bonds as set forth in § 45.1-241. Such bonds will be posted in annual increments according to a schedule contained in the permit application and approved annually by the Director on the anniversary date.

E. Any mining operation participating in the Fund that has been in temporary cessation for more than six months as of July 1, 1991, shall within 90 days of that date post bond equal to the total estimated cost of reclamation for all portions of the permitted site which are in temporary cessation. Any mining operation participating in the Fund that has been in temporary cessation six months or less as of July 1, 1991, shall within 90 days after the date on which the operation has been in temporary cessation for more than six months post bond equal to the total estimated cost of reclamation for all portions of the permitted site which are in temporary cessation. Any mining operation participating in the Fund that enters temporary cessation on or after July 1, 1991, shall, prior to the date on which the operation has been in temporary cessation for more than six months, post bond equal to the total estimated cost of reclamation for all portions of the permitted site which are in temporary cessation. Such bond shall remain in effect throughout the remainder of the period during which the site is in temporary cessation. At such time as the site returns to active status, the bond posted under this subsection may be released, provided the permittee has posted bond pursuant to subsection B of this section.

1982, c. 334; 1983, c. 131; 1989, c. 432; 1991, c. 495; 2014, cc. 111, 135.