(a) This part contains all rules that are applicable to surface coal mining operations in North Carolina which have been adopted under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

(b) The rules in this part cross-reference pertinent parts of the permanent program regulations in this chapter. The full text of a rule is in the permanent program rule cited under the relevant section of the North Carolina Federal program.

(c) The rules in this part apply to all surface coal mining operations in North Carolina conducted on non-Federal and non-Indian lands. The rules in Subchapter D of this chapter apply to operations on Federal lands in North Carolina.

(d) The information collection requirements contained in this part do not require approval by the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3507 because there are fewer than ten respondents annually.

(e) The following provisions of North Carolina laws and regulations provide, where applicable, for more stringent environmental control and regulation of some aspects of surface coal mining operations than do the provisions of the Act and the regulations in this chapter. Therefore, pursuant to section 505(b) of the Act, they shall not be construed to be inconsistent with the Act unless in a particular instance the rules in this chapter are found by OSM to establish more stringent environmental controls.

(1) North Carolina General Statute (NCGS) 74-51, concerning conditions under which a mining permit may be granted, authorized the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development to deny a permit for a mining operation which will have a significantly adverse effect on the purposes of a publicly owned park, forest, or recreation area and may condition permit approval on a requirement of visual screening, vegetative or otherwise, so as to screen the view of the operation from public highways, public parks, or residential areas where the Department finds such screening to be feasible and desirable, or determines that such screening measures are either not feasible or not desirable.

(2) North Carolina mining laws and regulations apply to mining operations affecting an area greater than one acre. To the extent that North Carolina mining law and regulations cited in paragraph (f) of this section apply to coal mining operations not regulated by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, they are not preempted by this Federal program for North Carolina.

(3) North Carolina Dam Safety Law of 1967, North Carolina General Statutes (NCGS) 143-215.23 through 143-215.37.

(4) Geophysical Exploration regulations, Title 15, North Carolina Administrative Code, Subchapter 5C, applies to any coal exploration involving the use of explosives.

(f) The following are North Carolina laws and regulations that generally interfere with the achievement of the purposes and requirements of the Act and are, in accordance with section 504(g) of the Act, preempted and superseded to the extent that they regulate coal exploration or surface coal mining and reclamation operations regulated by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Other North Carolina laws may interfere with the achievement of the proposes of goals of the Act in an individual situation, and may be preempted and superseded as they affect a particular coal exploration or surface mining operation by publication of the notice to that effect in the Federal Register.

(1) North Carolina Mining Act of 1971, as amended, NCGS 74-46 through 74-68, except to the extent that the Mining Act is preserved as provided in paragraph (e) of this section.

(2) Title 15, North Carolina Administrative Code, Subchapters 5A, 5B, and 5F Mining and Mineral Resources, except to the extent that those regulations are preserved as provided in paragraph (e) of this section.

(g) The Secretary may grant a limited variance from the performance standards of §§ 933.815 through 933.828 of this part if the applicant for coal exploration approval or a surface mining permit submitted pursuant to §§ 933.772 through 933.785 demonstrates in the application that: (1) Such variance is necessary because of the unique nature of North Carolina's terrain, climate, biological, chemical, or other relevant physical conditions; and (2) the proposed alternative will achieve equal or greater environmental protection than does the performance requirement from which the variance is requested.

Sections 700.5, 700.11, 700.12, 700.13, 700.14, 700.15 and part 701 of this chapter shall apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations in North Carolina.

Part 702 of this chapter, Exemption for Coal Extraction Incidental to the Extraction of Other Minerals, shall apply to any person who conducts coal extraction incidental to the extraction of other minerals for purposes of commercial use or sale.

Part 707 of this chapter, Exemption for Coal Extraction Incident to Government-Financed Highway or Other Construction, shall apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 761 of this chapter, Areas Designated Unsuitable for Coal Mining by Act of Congress, with the exception of §§ 761.11(c) and 761.12(f)(1), shall apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations, beginning one year after the effective date of this program. For the purposes of part 933, the following §§ 761.11(c) and 761.12(f)(1) shall replace the existing §§ 761.11(c) and 761.12(f)(1).

Part 762 of this chapter, Criteria for Designation Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations, shall apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 764 of this chapter, State Processes for Designating Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations, pertaining to petitioning, initial processing, hearing requirements, decisions, data base and inventory systems, public information, and regulatory responsibilities shall apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations beginning one year after the effective date of this program.

(a) Part 772 of this chapter, Requirements for Coal Exploration, shall apply to any person who conducts or seeks to conduct coal exploration operations.

(b) The Office shall make every effort to act on an exploration application within 60 days of receipt or such longer time as may be reasonable under the circumstances. If additional time is needed, OSMRE shall notify the applicant that the application is being reviewed, but more time is necessary to complete such review, setting forth the reasons and the additional time that is needed.

(a) Part 773 of this chapter, Requirements for Permits and Permit Processing, shall apply to any person who applies for a permit for surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) In addition to the requirements of part 773, the following permit application review procedures shall apply:

(1) Any person applying for a permit shall submit five copies of the application to the Office.

(2) The Office shall review an application for administrative completeness and acceptability for further review and shall notify the applicant in writing of the findings. The Office may:

(i) Reject a flagrantly deficient application, notifying the applicant of the findings;

(ii) Request additional information required for completeness stating specifically what information must be supplied and negotiate the date by which the information must be submitted; or

(iii) Judge the application administratively complete and acceptable for further review.

(3) Should the applicant not submit the information as required by § 912.773(b)(2)(ii) by the specified date, the office may reject the application. When the applicant submits the required information by the specified date, the Office shall review it and advise the applicant concerning its acceptability.

(4) When the application is judged administratively complete, the applicant shall be advised by the Office to file the public notice required by § 773.6 of this chapter.

(5) A representative of the Office shall visit the proposed permit area to determine whether the operation and reclamation plans are consistent with actual site conditions. The applicant will be notified in advance of the time of the visit. At the time of the visit, the applicant shall have the locations of the proposed permit boundaries, topsoil storage areas, sediment control structures, roads, and other significant features contained in the application marked by flags.

(c) In addition to the information required by subchapter G of this chapter, the Office may require an applicant to submit supplementary information to ensure compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations other than the Act.

(d) The issuance of permits shall be coordinated, to the extent practicable, with the issuance of the following permits, leases and/or certificates required by the State of North Carolina; Water discharge permit (NCGS 143-215.1); water use permits in capacity use area (NCGS 143-215.5); an approval of dam construction (NCGS 143-215.108), an air pollution control permit (NCGS 143-215.26, Title 15, North Carolina Administrative Code, Subchapter 2K); air and water quality reporting systems (NCGS 143-215.63—143-215.69); a geophysical exploration permit (Title 15, North Carolina Administrative Code, Subchapter 5C); a development permit for operations in an area of environmental concern designated pursuant to the Coastal Area Management Act (NCGS 113A-100—113A-128); a dredging or filing permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development (NCGS 113-229); a permit for dumping of toxic substances (NCGS 14-284.2); compliance with any applicable land use regulations adopted in a soil conservation district (NCGS 139-9); and compliance with any county ordinance regarding explosives (NCGS 153A-128).

(e) No person shall be granted a permit to conduct exploration which results in the removal of more than 250 tons of coal or shall conduct surface coal mining unless that person has acquired all required permits, leases, and/or certificates listed in paragraph (d) of this section.

(f) The Secretary shall provide to the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development a copy of each decision to grant or deny a permit application.

(a) Part 774 of this chapter, Revision; Renewal; and Transfer, Assignment, or Sale of Permit Rights, shall apply to any such actions involving surface coal mining and reclamation operations permits.

(b) Any revision to the approved permit will be subject to review and approval by OSMRE.

(1) Significant revisions shall be processed as if they are new applications in accordance with the public notice and hearing provisions of §§ 773.6, 773.19(b) (1) and (2), and 778.21 and of part 775.

(2) OSMRE shall make every effort to approve or disapprove an application for permit revision within 60 days of receipt or such longer time as may be reasonable under the circumstances. If additional time needed, OSMRE shall notify the applicant that the application is being reviewed, but that more time is necessary to complete such review, setting forth the reasons and the additional time that is needed.

(c) In addition to the requirements of part 774 of this chapter, any person having an interest which is or may be adversely affected by a decision on the transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights, including an official of any Federal, State, or local government agency, may submit written comments on the application to the Office within thirty days of either the publication of the newspaper advertisement required by § 774.17(b)(2) of this chapter or receipt of an administratively complete application, whichever is later.

Part 775 of his chapter, Administrative and Judicial Review of Decisions, shall apply to all decisions on permits.

Part 777 of this chapter, General Content Requirements for Permit Applications, shall apply to any person who applies for a permit to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 778 of this chapter, Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Legal, Financial, Compliance and Related Information, shall apply to any person who applies for a permit to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 779 of this chapter, Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources, shall apply to any person who makes application to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 780 of this chapter, Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan, shall apply to any person who makes application to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations, except that for the purposes of part 933, the paragraph in § 780.31 shall be replaced by the following two paragraphs:

Part 783 of this chapter, Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources, shall apply to any person who submits an application to conduct underground coal mining operations.

Part 784 of this chapter, Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan, shall apply to any person who makes application to conduct underground coal mining except that for the purposes of part 933, the paragraph in § 784.17 shall be replaced by the following two paragraphs:

Part 785 of this chapter, Requirements for Permits for Special Categories of Mining, shall apply to each person who makes application for a permit to conduct certain categories of surface coal mining and reclamation operations as specified therein.

Part 795 of this chapter, Small Operator Assistance, shall apply to any person making application for assistance under the small operator assistance program.

Part 800 of this chapter, General Requirements for Bonding of Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Operations Under Regulatory Programs, shall apply to all surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 815 of this chapter, Permanent Program Performance Standards—Coal Exploration, shall apply to any person conducting coal exploration operations.

Part 816 of this chapter, Permanent Program Performance Standards—Surface Mining Activities, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 817 of this chapter, Permanent Program Performance Standards—Underground Mining Activities, shall apply to any person who conducts underground coal mining operations.

Part 819 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Auger Mining, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining operations which include auger mining.

Part 823 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Operations on Prime Farmland, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining and reclamation operations on prime farmlands.

Part 824 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Mountaintop Removal, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining operations constituting mountaintop removal mining.

Part 827 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Coal Processing Plants and Support Facilities Not Located at or Near the Minesite or Not Within the Permit Area for a Mine, shall apply to any person who conducts surface coal mining and reclamation operations which include the operation of coal processing plants and support facilities not located at or near the minesite or not within the permit area for a mine.

Part 828 of this chapter, Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—In Situ Processing, shall apply to any person who conducts in situ processing activities.

(a) Part 842 of this chapter, Federal Inspections, shall apply to all exploration and surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) OSM will furnish a copy of any inspection report written pursuant to this part to the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development upon request.

(a) Part 843 of this chapter, Federal Enforcement, shall when enforcement action is required for violations on surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) OSM will furnish a copy of each enforcement action and order to show cause issued pursuant to this part to the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development upon request.

Part 845 of this chapter, Civil Penalties, shall apply when civil penalties are assessed for violations on surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

Part 846 of this chapter, Individual Civil Penalties, shall apply to the assessment of individual civil penalties under section 518(f) of the Act.

Part 955 of this chapter, Certification of Blasters in Federal Program States and on Indian Lands, shall apply to the training, examination and certification of blasters for surface coal mining and reclamation operations.