A. There is hereby levied a reclamation tax upon the production of coal by operators participating in the Fund under permits issued under this chapter as set forth herein.

B. Thirty days after the end of each calendar quarter during which the total balance of the Fund, including interest thereon, is less than $20 million, all operators shall pay into the Fund an amount equal to:

1. Four cents per clean ton of coal produced by a surface mining operation permitted under this chapter.

2. Three cents per clean ton of coal produced by a deep mining operation permitted under this chapter.

3. One and one-half cents per clean ton of coal processed or loaded by preparation or loading facilities permitted under this chapter.

C. At the end of each calendar quarter during which the total balance in the Fund, including interest thereon, exceeds $20 million, payments under this section shall cease until again required pursuant to subsection B.

D. In no event shall any operator pay reclamation tax under this section on total coal production in excess of five million tons per calendar year, regardless of the number of permits held by that operator. In no event shall any operator holding more than one type of permit pay tax at a rate in excess of five and one-half cents per ton on coal originally surface mined by that operator or in excess of four and one-half cents per ton on coal originally deep mined by that operator. Any operator holding one permit upon which coal is mined and processed or loaded shall pay only the tax applicable under this section to the surface mining operation or deep mining operation.

1982, c. 334; 1983, c. 131; 1987, c. 468; 1991, c. 495; 2014, cc. 111, 135.