{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-725","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 45, § 45-725","heading":"Procedure for reclaiming land","body":"A. All affected land other than lands affected by coal mining\n\noperations shall be reclaimed as provided in this section.\n\nB. The operator shall determine which parts of the affected\n\nland shall be reclaimed for forest, pasture, crop, horticultural,\n\nhomesite, recreational, industrial or other use including food,\n\nshelter and ground cover for wildlife.\n\nC. All ridges and peaks of overburden created by surface mining\n\nshall be graded to a rolling topography traversable by machines or\n\nequipment customarily used in connection with the use to be made of\n\nthe land after reclamation, but such slopes need not be reduced to\n\nless than the original grade of the area prior to mining, and the\n\nslope of the ridge of overburden resulting from a box cut need not\n\nbe reduced to less than twenty-five degrees (25°) from horizontal.\n\nSurface mining operations conducted in the flood plains of streams\n\nand rivers and subject to periodic flooding shall be exempt from the\n\ngrading requirements of this section.\n\nD. The operator may construct earth dams to form lakes in pits\n\nresulting from surface mining operations, provided that the\n\nformation of lakes shall not interfere with other mining operations\n\nor damage property of others.\n\nE. The operator shall cover the exposed face of a mineral seam,\n\nwhere significant concentrations of acid-forming materials are\n\npresent, to a depth of not less than three (3) feet with earth that\n\nwill support plant life or with a permanent water impoundment.\n\nF. The operator shall grade down the banks of any pits or\n\ndepressions created by the removal of sand or gravel by surface\n\nmining to a degree of slope determined by the Department, which\n\nshall give due consideration to the natural topography of the land\n\naffected and adjacent lands, the composition of such banks and the\n\nmost beneficial use of the pits and depressions comprising the\n\naffected land after reclamation. If the pits or depressions are\n\ndeeper than ten (10) feet, the operator may elect to bench the\n\nhighwall, provided that such benches are not in excess of ten (10)\n\nfeet in height.\n\nG. All affected land except that which is to be covered with\n\nwater or used for homesites or industrial purposes shall be\n\nrevegetated by the planting of seeds, plants, trees, shrubs or other\n\nplantings appropriate to the use to be made of the land as\n\ndetermined by the operator. No planting of any kind shall be\n\nrequired on any affected land so long as the chemical and physical\n\ncharacteristics of the soil of such affected land are toxic,\n\ndeficient in plant nutrients or composed of sand, gravel, shale or\n\nstone to such an extent as to seriously inhibit plant growth. The\n\nDepartment may prescribe by rules and regulations the required\n\ndensity of such plantings, and may make replanting requirements.\n\nH. Except where prevented by weather conditions, all grading\n\nshall be completed within one (1) year after mining of the affected\n\nland has been completed. Initial seeding or planting shall be made\n\nat the first appropriate time following completion of grading. If\n\nthe operator is unable to acquire sufficient planting stock of\n\ndesired species from state nurseries, or acquire such species\n\nelsewhere at comparable prices the Department shall grant the\n\noperator an extension of time until planting stock is available to\n\nplant such land as originally planned.\n\nI. In any noncoal mining operation where the type and amount of\n\nmaterial removed precludes the filling of the quarry, the Department\n\nof Mines shall prescribe necessary measures for the protection of\n\nthe public and animal life.","path":["OK Code","Title 45"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os45.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"4eef80842f2faa3737ca57d157949962807a887adfb0404ea7a67f5574347df6","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-724","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-726"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}