BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to surface mining; and adding new sections to chapter 78.44 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 78.44 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A miner operating an underground coal mine in this state shall make accurate surveys and maps of the mine in either digital or reproducible formats, or both, as determined by the department. These must be drawn at a scale of one hundred feet to the inch. The name of the state, county, and township in which the mine is located, the designation of the mine, the name of the company or owner, the certificate of the mining engineer or surveyor as to the accuracy and date of the survey, the direction of the true meridian, and the scale to which the drawings are made must be shown on each map. These surveys, maps, and digital files must include:

(a) One map of surface features correctly showing the surface boundary lines of the coal rights pertaining to each mine, and all section or quarter section lines or corners within the same mine; the lines of town lots and streets, the tracks and sidetracks of all railroads, and the location of all roads, rivers, streams, lakes, or ponds, with depth shown, all buildings, landmarks, and principal objects on the surface.

(b) A map or maps showing all underground workings including all shafts, slopes, tunnels, or other openings to the surface or to the workings of a contiguous mine; all excavations, entries, rooms, and crosscuts; the location of pumps, hauling engines, engine planes, abandoned works, firewalls, and standing water; and the boundary line of any surface outcrop of the seam. Sea level datum and pitch of seams must be placed on the maps at the top and bottom of slopes and shafts, at the ends of all gangways, and at the top of escapeways. The maps shall be updated annually.

(c) Separate maps must be made of every seam worked in any mine, and the maps of all of the seams must show all shafts, inclined planes, or other passageways connecting the seam, and show the sea level datum and pitch of seams, as provided in this section.

(2) For underground coal mines, interim copies of all requisite surveys, maps, and digital files must be submitted to the department annually. Final copies of all surveys, maps, and digital files must be submitted to the department within two years of cessation of underground mining.

(3) The original or true copies of all maps must be furnished to the department. The maps delivered to the department are the property of the state and must be kept as a permanent record in the department's files. The surveys, maps, and digital files must be held as confidential for a period of two years following cessation of underground mining unless released by written permission of the miner.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 78.44 RCW to read as follows:

On or before January 25th of each year, the miner or permit holder operating a coal mine must submit a correct report to the department specifying with respect to the preceding year ending December 31st, all data listed in this section. The department, at its discretion, may accept equivalent documentation prepared for federal agencies in lieu of this report. The report must contain the following data:

(1) For surface and underground coal mines: The name of company, address, president, manager, location of the mine, principal market types, methods and extent of mine reclamation, number of tons of coal shipped, total production of coal, and percent recovery; and

(2) For underground coal mines: The number of feet of gangway or entry driven, number of feet of slope or shaft driven or sunk during a year, a report of new openings, and the number of feet and location of backfilled underground workings.