4 Va. Admin. Code § 25-130-774.17 : CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES — DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY — COAL SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION REGULATIONS — Review; Revision; Renewal; and Transfer, Assignment, or Sale of Permit Rights —130-774.17 - Transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights

(a) General. No transfer, assignment, or sale of rights granted by a permit shall be made without the prior written approval of the division. At its discretion, the division may allow a prospective successor in interest to engage in surface coal mining and reclamation operations under the permit during the pendency of an application for approval of a transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights submitted under subdivision (b) of this section, provided that the prospective successor in interest can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the division that sufficient bond coverage will remain in place.
(b) Application requirements. An applicant for approval of the transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights shall--
(1) Provide the division with an application for approval of the proposed transfer, assignment, or sale including--
(i) The name and address of the existing permittee and permit number;
(ii) A brief description of the proposed transaction requiring approval; and
(iii) The legal, financial, compliance, and related information required by Part 778 for the applicant for approval of the transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights.
(2) Advertise the filing of the application in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality of the operations involved, indicating the name and address of the applicant, the permittee, the permit number or other identifier, the geographic location of the permit, and the address to which written comments may be sent;
(3) Obtain appropriate performance bond coverage in an amount sufficient to cover the proposed operations, as required under Subchapter VJ.
(c) Public participation. Any person having an interest which is or may be adversely affected by a decision on the transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights, including an official of any Federal, State, or local government agency, may submit written comments on the application to the division within 30 days.
(d) Criteria for approval. The division may allow a permittee to transfer, assign, or sell permit rights to a successor, if it finds in writing that the successor--
(1) Is eligible to receive a permit in accordance with 4VAC25-130-773.15(b) and (c);
(2) Has submitted a performance bond or other guarantee, or obtained the bond coverage of the original permittee, as required by Subchapter VJ; and
(3) Meets any other requirements specified by the division.
(e) Notification.
(1) The division shall notify the permittee, the successor, commenters, and the OSM of its findings.
(2) Proof of the consumation shall be submitted to the division upon its approval of the transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights, and prior to the issuance of the new permit.
(f) Continued operation under existing permit. The successor in interest shall assume the liability and reclamation responsibilities of the existing permit and shall conduct the surface coal mining and reclamation operations in full compliance with the Act, the regulatory program, and the terms and conditions of the existing permit, unless the applicant has obtained a new or revised permit as provided in this Subchapter.

4 Va. Admin. Code § 25-130-774.17

Derived from VR480-03-19 § 774.17, eff. December 15, 1981; amended, eff. June 28, 1982; October 28, 1982; December 14, 1982; October 11, 1983; December 27, 1983; May 8, 1984; June 22, 1984; August 2, 1984; October 16, 1985; January 7, 1987; July 22, 1987; November 25, 1987; October 12, 1988; December 26, 1990; July 1, 1991; July 17, 1991; November 20, 1991; July 7, 1992; May 5, 1993; October 19, 1994; Volume 29, Issue 13, eff. March 27, 2013.

Statutory Authority

§§ 45.1-161.3 and 45.1-230 of the Code of Virginia.