35-11-405. Permit defined; no mining operation without valid permit; when validity terminated.

(a) A mining permit is the certification that the tract of land described may be mined by an operator licensed to do so in conformance with an approved mining plan and reclamation plan. No mining operation may be commenced or conducted on land for which there is not in effect a valid mining permit to which the operator possesses the rights.

(b) A mining permit once granted remains valid and in force from the date of its issuance until the termination of all mining and reclamation operations, except as otherwise provided in this act.

(c) All surface coal mining permits issued subsequent to approval of the state program pursuant to P.L. 95-87 shall be issued for a term of not to exceed five (5) years. If the applicant demonstrates that a specified longer term is reasonably needed to allow the applicant to obtain necessary financing for equipment and the opening of the operation and if the application is complete for this specified longer term, the director shall grant a permit for a longer term.

(d) A surface coal mining permit shall terminate if the permittee has not commenced the surface coal mining operations covered by the permit within three (3) years of the issuance of the permit, except as provided in P.L. 95-87.

(e) Any valid surface coal mining permit issued pursuant to this act is entitled to a right of successive renewal upon expiration with respect to areas within the boundaries of the existing permit if public notice has been given, any additional revised or updated information has been provided and the operation is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and if the renewal requested will not substantially jeopardize the operator's responsibility on existing affected land.

(f) If an application for renewal of a valid surface coal mining permit includes a proposal to extend the mining operation beyond the boundaries authorized in the existing permit, the portion of the application for renewal which addresses any new land areas shall be subject to the standards applicable to new applications under this act. However, areas previously identified in the mining plan and reclamation plan of those surface coal mining operations not subject to the standards in W.S. 35-11-406(m)(xiii) will not be subject to those standards in the renewal application.

(g) An application for renewal of a valid surface coal mining permit shall be made at least one hundred twenty (120) days prior to expiration of a valid coal permit.