45.1-239 - Public participation in process of issuing or revising permits.

§ 45.1-239. Public participation in process of issuing or revising permits.

A. The Director shall establish, by regulation, procedures for thenotification of and participation by the public and appropriate federal,state and local governmental authorities in the process for issuing orrevising coal surface mining permits, in accordance with § 513 of the federalact.

B. Any person having an interest which is or may be adversely affected, orthe officer or head of any federal, state or local governmental agency orauthority shall have the right to file written objections to the proposedinitial or revised application for a permit for a coal surface miningoperation with the Director within thirty days after the last publication ofthe applicant's notice required by the regulation promulgated pursuant tosubsection A hereof. If written objections are filed and an informal hearingrequested, the Director shall then hold an informal hearing in the manner andlocation prescribed by regulation, unless all the parties requesting theinformal hearing stipulate agreement prior to the requested informal hearingand withdraw their request therefor.

(1979, c. 290; 1984, c. 590.)