<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="15-516" title_number="15" title_name="Mines and Mining" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Strip Mining">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Secretary shall establish within the Bituminous Coal Open-Pit Mining Reclamation Fund a reserve to be used to replace water supplies that are determined to have been affected by an open-pit mining operation, after all the bonds under § 15-507 of this subtitle covering the operation that affected the water supply have been released in accordance with § 15-507 of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>One cent of the mine reclamation surcharge that the Department assesses for each ton of coal removed by the open-pit or strip method under § 15-509 of this subtitle shall be paid into the water supply replacement reserve.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>When the amount of the reserve equals or exceeds $50,000, payment of the 1 cent into the reserve shall end temporarily.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>When the amount of the reserve is reduced below $25,000 because of payment made under this section, payment of the 1 cent into the reserve shall resume.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
