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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="15-514" title_number="15" title_name="Mines and Mining" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Strip Mining">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the Director determines that an operator has failed to comply with any provision of this subtitle, or any rule, regulation, or permit issued under this subtitle, or that the operator has not produced coal or removed overburden on the permit site for a period of 6 months, the Director may issue an order requiring the operator to show cause why the permit should not be revoked and give the operator 30 days in which to request a contested case hearing.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If a hearing is requested, the Director shall inform the permittee and all interested parties of the time and place of the hearing.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Any hearing held under this section shall be held in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If the operator fails to show cause why the permit should not be revoked, the Director shall revoke the permit and forfeit the bond posted by the operator in accordance with § 15-507 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If the Director revokes a permit and forfeits the bond under this subsection, the operator of the permit forfeits:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>All rights and claims to the permit;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>All materials furnished with the application for the permit; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Any subsequent amendments to the permit.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the Director revokes a permit and forfeits the bond, the Director shall notify the operator and the surety or the holder of any other securities if applicable, in writing, that all bonds are forfeited and shall make claim for payment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the surety or the holder of any other securities refuses to make payment within a reasonable time, the Director shall certify the case to the Attorney General, who shall file suit to collect the forfeited bond.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Director shall deposit all funds received from the forfeiture of bonds with the State Treasurer to the credit of the Bituminous Coal Open-Pit Mining Reclamation Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
