A. The Director shall establish by regulation procedures for the notification of and participation by the public and appropriate federal, state, and local governmental authorities in the process for issuing or revising coal surface mining permits, in accordance with § 513 of the federal act.
B. Any person having an interest that is or might be adversely affected, or the officer or head of any federal, state, or local governmental agency or authority, has the right to file written objections to the proposed initial or revised application for a permit for a coal surface mining operation with the Director within 30 days after the last publication of the applicant's notice required by the regulation adopted pursuant to subsection A. If no written objection is filed and an informal hearing is requested, the Director shall then hold an informal hearing in the manner and location prescribed by regulation, unless every party requesting the informal hearing stipulates agreement prior to the requested informal hearing and withdraws such request therefor.
1979, c. 290, § 45.1-239; 1984, c. 590; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.