The Maryland Bureau of Mines is a Division of the Maryland Department of Environment; Land and Materials Administration; Mining Program. The mission of the Bureau is to protect the public and the environment from the potential impacts of active coal mining, and to promote the restoration and enhancement of active and pre-law abandoned coal mined lands through current mining activities, and the mitigation or improvement of pre-law coal mining impacted water resources. The Bureau of Mines is located in the Frostburg, Maryland field office of the Maryland Department of the Environment. There are two sections within the Maryland Bureau of Mines: Permitting Section and Inspection & Enforcement Section. Each section is responsible for differing aspects of Maryland's coal mining regulatory program.
Bureau of Mines Coal Permitting Section
The Coal Permitting Section of the Bureau of Mines is responsible for technical review, modification, approval, and issuance or denial of coal mining permit applications for surface and deep mine mining operations and coal loading and processing facilities. This section also maintains information on all mining companies which is required to obtain a Maryland Mining License, active coal mining permits, permit acreages information, coal production, and the reclamation process. Information on the application process and forms for the various permits are available from this section.
Bureau of Mines Inspection and Enforcement Section
The Inspection and Enforcement Section is responsible for (at a minimum) monthly inspections of each permitted mining operation or facility to assure the protection of the public and the environment from the potential impacts of mining activity. The mine inspectors perform on-site inspections to insure compliance with the regulatory program and any special conditions imposed on the mining permit; field test water quality analyzes, and follow-up on any citizen complaints. If an operation has failed to fully comply with any requirement of the regulatory program or specific permit conditions, enforcement actions will be taken that will result in civil penalties and could result in the suspension or revocation of the mining permit.
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Contact Information:
The Bureau of Mines office is located at 160 South Water Street, Frostburg, Maryland 21532. 301-689-1440, John.Carey@Maryland.gov
