71 Pa. Stat. § 510-30
The Environmental Quality Board shall have the power and its duty shall be to review any petition submitted to it to designate an area as unsuitable for surface mining as provided for in section 315(h) through (n) of the act of June 22, 1937 (P.L. 1987, No. 394), known as "The Clean Streams Law," and make designations pursuant thereto: Provided, however, That the board or the Department of Environmental Resources shall not make such designations for surface mining operations regulated by the act of December 19, 1984 (P.L. 1093, No. 219), known as the "Noncoal Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act." This section shall not apply to any petition to designate an area as unsuitable for noncoal mining operations filed with the Department of Environmental Resources prior to July 30, 1992.
71 P.S. § 510-30