{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-740.2","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 45, § 45-740.2","heading":"Legislative findings - Purpose","body":"A. The Legislature finds that:\n\n1. The Congress of the United States has enacted the Surface\n\nMining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. Sections 1201\n\net seq., hereinafter cited as the \"federal act\", which provides for\n\nthe establishment of a nationwide program to regulate surface coal\n\nmining and reclamation and which vests exclusive authority in the\n\nDepartment of the Interior over the regulation of surface coal\n\nmining and reclamation within the United States.\n\n2. Section 101 of the federal act, 30 U.S.C. Section 1201,\n\ncontains the finding by Congress that because of the diversity in\n\nterrain, climate, biologic, chemical and other physical conditions\n\nin areas subject to mining operations, the primary governmental\n\nresponsibility for developing, authorizing, issuing and enforcing\n\nregulations for surface mining and reclamation operations subject to\n\nthat act should rest with the states.\n\nB. It is therefore declared to be the purpose of this act:\n\n1. To promote the reclamation of mined areas left without\n\nadequate reclamation prior to the enactment of the federal act and\n\nthat continue, in their unreclaimed condition, to substantially\n\ndegrade the quality of the environment, to prevent or damage the\n\nbeneficial use of land or water resources or to endanger the health\n\nor safety of the public;\n\n2. To assure that the rights of surface landowners and other\n\npersons with a legal interest in the land or appurtenances to the\n\nland are protected from previously unregulated surface coal mining\n\noperations; and\n\n3. To prevent the adverse effects to society and the\n\nenvironment resulting from previously unregulated surface coal\n\nmining.","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":"6cb063d136cb9640f858e8a9c4cf358b5045f7211db622207a7778511c4f588b","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-740.1","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-740.3"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}