Mo. Rev. Stat. § 444.771: Limitation on permits near an accredited school.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the commission and the department shall not issue any permits under this chapter or under chapters 643 or 644 to any person whose mine plan boundary is within one thousand feet of any real property where an accredited school has been located for at least five years prior to such application for permits made under these provisions, except that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any request for an expansion to an existing mine or to any underground mining operation.