Section 53-9-37 - Advertisement of land ownership; public comment on intention to mine or objections to application for permit; informal conferences; authority of permit board to conduct hearings on own motion(1) Upon submission of a complete application for a permit or modification of an existing permit, under this chapter and the regulations promulgated under this chapter, the applicant shall submit to the permit board a copy of the applicant's advertisement of the ownership, precise location and boundaries of the land to be affected. At the time of submission, the applicant shall place the advertisement for publication at least once a week for four (4) consecutive weeks in a local newspaper and in a regional newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the proposed surface coal mine is to be located. If no local newspaper of general circulation in the county is published, notice shall be published once a week for four (4) consecutive weeks in a regional newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the proposed surface coal mine is to be located and in a newspaper of general statewide circulation published in Jackson. The permit board shall notify local governmental bodies, planning agencies, sewage and water treatment authorities, or water companies in the county in which the proposed surface coal mining will take place of the submission of the complete permit application. The permit board shall notify them of the operator's intention to surface mine coal on a particularly described tract of land, the number of the permit application and where a copy and summary of the proposed surface coal mining and reclamation plan may be inspected. These local bodies, agencies, authorities or companies may submit written comments within a reasonable period established by the commission on the effect of the proposed operation on the environment which is within their area of responsibility. The comments shall be transmitted as soon as possible to the applicant by the permit board and shall be made available to the public at the same locations as the surface coal mining and reclamation permit application. The failure of any person to submit comments within the time established by the commission shall not preclude action by the commission.(2)(a) Any interested party or the officer or head of any federal, state or local governmental agency or authority, may file written objections to the complete application for a surface coal mining and reclamation permit, or modification of an existing permit, with the permit board within thirty (30) days after the last publication of the notice described in subsection (1) of this section. Any objections shall be transmitted as soon as possible to the applicant by the permit board and shall be made available to the public.(b) Within forty-five (45) days after the last publication of the notice described in subsection (1) of this section, any interested party may request that the permit board conduct a public hearing concerning the complete application. If a public hearing is requested, the permit board shall hold a public hearing in the county of the proposed surface coal mining and reclamation operations within ninety (90) days after receipt of the first request for a public hearing. Before issuance of a permit, the permit board shall hold a public hearing at a suitable location in the county of the proposed surface coal mining and reclamation operation. The date, time and location of any public hearing shall be advertised by the permit board in the same manner as provided for the publication of notice for advertisement of land ownership under subsection (1) of this section. The last public hearing notice shall be published at least thirty (30) days before the scheduled public hearing date. An electronic or stenographic record shall be made of the public hearing proceeding. Any person requesting transcription of the record shall bear the costs of that transcription. That record shall be maintained and shall be accessible to the public until final release of the applicant's performance bond or other collateral. If all persons requesting the public hearing stipulate agreement before the requested public hearing and withdraw their request, the public hearing may be cancelled at the discretion of the permit board.(3) The permit board shall arrange with the applicant, upon request by any interested party requesting a public hearing, reasonable access to the area of the proposed surface coal mining and reclamation operation for the purpose of gathering information relevant to the proceeding before the public hearing. If that request is made less than one (1) week before the scheduled date of the public hearing, access may not be provided before the public hearing.(4) The permit board shall act upon a complete permit application within sixty (60) days after the date of the public hearing. If no public hearing is requested or required, the permit board shall act within sixty (60) days after the last publication of the notice described in subsection (1) of this section. The time frames may be extended if agreed in writing by the department and the applicant.(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the permit board on its own motion from conducting public hearings to obtain information from the public regarding the proposed surface coal mining operations.Laws, 1979, ch. 477, § 18; Laws, 1997, ch. 306, § 18, eff. 3/10/1997.