(a) General rule.--At any time prior to removing coal or other underground materials from, or extending the workings in, a coal mine within 500 feet of an oil or gas well of which the coal operator has knowledge, or within 500 feet of an approved well location of which the coal operator has knowledge, the coal operator, by certified mail, shall forward to or file with the well operator and the department a copy of the relevant part of all maps and plans which it is presently required by law to prepare and file with the department, showing the pillar which the coal operator proposes to leave in place around each oil or gas well in the projected workings. Thereafter, the coal operator may proceed with mining operations in the manner projected on the maps and plans, but the operator may not remove coal or cut a passageway within 150 feet of the well or approved well location without written approval under this section. If, in the opinion of the well operator or the department, the plan indicates that the proposed pillar is inadequate to protect either the integrity of the well or public health and safety, the affected well operator shall attempt to reach an agreement with the coal operator on a suitable pillar, subject to approval of the department. Upon failure to agree, the well operator may, within ten days after receipt of the proposed plan under this section, file objections under section 3251 (relating to conferences), indicating the size of the pillar to be left as to each well. If objections are not timely filed and the department has none, the department shall grant approval, reciting that maps and plans have been filed, no objections have been made thereto and the pillar proposed to be left for each well is approved in the manner as projected.

(b) Objections.--If an objection is filed by the well operator or raised by the department, the department shall order that a conference be held under section 3251 within ten days of the filing of objections. At the conference, the coal operator and the person who has objected shall attempt to agree on a proposed plan, showing the pillar to be left around each well, which will satisfy the objections and receive department approval. If an agreement is reached, the department shall grant approval to the coal operator, reciting that a plan has been filed and the pillar to be left for each well is approved pursuant to the agreement. If an agreement is not reached on a plan showing the pillar to be left with respect to a well, the department, by appropriate order, shall determine the pillar to be left with respect to the well. In a proceeding under this section, the department shall follow as nearly as is possible the original plan filed by the coal operator. The department shall not require the coal operator to leave a pillar in excess of 100 feet in radius, except that the department may require a pillar of up to 150 feet in radius if the existence of unusual conditions is established. Pillars determined by the department shall be shown on maps or plans on file with the department as provided in subsection (a), and the department shall approve the pillar to be left for each well.

(c) Pillars of reduced size.--Application may be made at any time to the department by the coal operator to leave a pillar of a size smaller than shown on the plan approved or determined by the department under this section. If an application is filed, the department shall:

(1) follow the appropriate procedure under subsection (a) or (b);

(2) by appropriate order, determine a plan involving a pillar of a smaller size as to any well covered by the application; and

(3) have the discretion to grant approval for the pillar to be left with respect to each well.

(d) Violation.--No coal operator, without written approval of the department after notice and opportunity for a hearing under this section, shall remove coal or cut a passageway so as to leave a pillar of smaller size, with respect to an oil or gas well, than that approved by the department under this chapter.

(e) Limitation.--With regard to a coal pillar required by law to be left around a well drilled prior to April 18, 1985, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to:

(1) require a well operator to pay for the coal pillar;

(2) affect a right which a coal operator may have had prior to April 18, 1985, to obtain payment for the coal pillar; or

(3) affect a duty or right which a storage operator or landowner may have had prior to April 18, 1985, to pay or not pay for the coal pillar.

(f) Mining through plugged wells.--A coal operator who intends to mine through a plugged oil or gas well or otherwise completely remove any pillar from around that well shall file a plan under subsection (a) which shall be subject to all of the provisions of this section. No coal operator may mine through a plugged oil or gas well of which he has knowledge until written approval has been granted by the department in accordance with this section. The Bureau of Deep Mine Safety in the department shall have the authority to establish conditions under which the department may approve a coal operator's plan to mine through a plugged oil or gas well.