(a) Before temporary cessation status of
operations for a period of 30 days or more, an operator shall submit to the
Department a notice of intention to temporarily cease operations. The notice
shall include a statement of the exact number of acres affected in the permit
area, the extent and kind of reclamation of the areas and identification of the
backfilling, regrading, revegetation, environmental monitoring, and water
treatment activities that will continue during the temporary cessation
status.
(b) Temporary cessation
status of operations does not relieve the operator of the obligations to comply
with the acts as defined in §
86.1 (relating to definitions),
Chapters 86-90, or the approved permit, including the obligation to submit an
application for permit renewal at least 180 days before the expiration of the
existing permit. The Department may enforce these obligations during the
temporary cessation status of operations.
(c) Temporary cessation status will end with
the resumption of coal extraction. Any subsequent notices of temporary
cessation status must include updated information outlined in subsection
(a).
(d) Temporary cessation status
will terminate where the Department finds a failure to comply with the acts as
defined in §
86.1, Chapters 86-90, or the
approved permit. Termination of temporary cessation status due to failure to
comply with the acts as defined in § 86.1, Chapters 86-90, or the approved
permit will place the mining operation in permanent cessation status, subject
to the provisions of §
87.158 (relating to cessation of
operations: permanent).