The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates surface mine reclamation in Washington for the purpose of restoring landscape and environmental conditions after mining. ?Persons engaging in surface mining activities must have an approved reclamation?plan and a?reclamation?permit issued by the DNR and must pay permit application fees and annual permit fees.?

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The application fee for a new reclamation permit, for the expansion of an existing permitted mine, or for the combination of existing public or private reclamation permits, is $4,500. ?The fee for a revision to an application for an existing reclamation plan is $2,500. ?The annual fee for all permit holders is $2,000.

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Certain smaller county mines used for public works project are subject to lower annual fees. County mines under 7 acres that are used exclusively for public works projects have a fee cap of $1,000. ?County mines under 7 acres with 1993 county populations under 20,000, that are used primarily for public works projects, do not have to pay a fee.

Surface mine reclamation permit fees are increased as follows:

• for revision of an existing reclamation permit or reclamation plan, the fee is increased from $2,500 to $4,500;
• for public or private permit holders, the annual fee is increased from $2,000 to $3,500;
• for all public permit holders for mines used exclusively for public works projects, the annual fee is $2,500; and
• the fee cap and the exemption for certain smaller county mines used for public works projects are eliminated.

Within sixty days of receipt, the DNR must advise applicants for permit or plan revisions of any information necessary to complete the application.