The applicant shall file with his permit application a schedule listing all notices of violations of this act and any law, rule or regulation of the United States, or of any department or agency in the United States, pertaining to air or water environmental protection incurred by the applicant in connection with any surface coal mining operation during the three-year period prior to the date of application. The schedule shall also indicate the final resolution of any such notice of violation. When the schedule or other information available to the Department indicates that any surface coal mining operation owned or controlled by the applicant is currently in violation of this act or such other laws referred to in this section, the permit shall not be issued until the applicant submits proof that such violation has been corrected or is in the process of being corrected to the satisfaction of the regulatory authority which has jurisdiction over such violation. No permit shall be issued to an applicant after a finding by the Department, after opportunity for hearing, that the applicant or the operator specified in the application, controls or has controlled mining operations with a demonstrated pattern of willful violations of this act or the laws of another state or the United States regulating surface coal mining operations of such nature and duration with such resulting irreparable damage to the environment as to indicate an intent not to comply with the provisions of this act.

Laws 1979, c. 249, § 12, emerg. eff. June 1, 1979.