After July 1, 1993, no miner or permit holder may engage in surface mining without having first obtained a reclamation permit from the department. Operating permits issued by the department between January 1, 1971, and June 30, 1993, shall be considered reclamation permits. A separate permit shall be required for each noncontiguous surface mine. The reclamation permit shall consist of the permit forms and any exhibits attached thereto. The permit holder shall comply with the provisions of the reclamation permit unless waived and explained in writing by the department.
Prior to receiving a reclamation permit, an applicant must submit an application on forms provided by the department that shall contain the following information and shall be considered part of the reclamation permit:
The reclamation permit shall be granted for the period required to deplete essentially all minerals identified in the reclamation permit on the land covered by the reclamation plan. The reclamation permit shall be valid until the reclamation is complete unless the permit is canceled by the department.
RCW 78.44.081
Captions-Severability-Effective date-1993 c 518: See notes following RCW 78.44.010.