{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-781","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 45, § 45-781","heading":"Land unsuitable for certain types of surface coal mining","body":"operations - Designation - Criteria.\n\nA. The Department shall establish a planning process enabling\n\nobjective decisions based upon competent and scientifically sound\n\ndata and information as to which, if any, land areas or this state\n\nare unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining\n\noperations pursuant to the standards set forth in this section but\n\nsuch designation shall not prevent the mineral exploration pursuant\n\nto this act of any area so designated.\n\nB. Upon petition, the Department shall designate an area as\n\nunsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining\n\noperations if the Department determines that reclamation pursuant to\n\nthe requirements of this act is not technologically and economically\n\nfeasible.\n\nC. Upon petition, a surface area may be designated unsuitable\n\nfor certain types of surface coal mining operations if such\n\noperations will:\n\n1. Be incompatible with existing state or local land use plans\n\nor programs;\n\n2. Affect fragile or historic lands in which such operations\n\ncould result in significant damage to important historic, cultural,\n\nscientific and esthetic values and natural systems;\n\n3. Affect renewable resource lands in which such operations\n\ncould result in a substantial loss or reduction of long-range\n\nproductivity of water supply or of food or fiber products, and such\n\nlands to include aquifers and aquifer recharge areas; or\n\n4. Affect natural hazard lands in which such operations could\n\nsubstantially endanger life and property, such lands to include\n\nareas subject to frequent flooding and areas of unstable geology.\n\nD. Determinations of the unsuitability of land for surface coal\n\nmining, as provided for in this section, shall be integrated as\n\nclosely as possible with present and future land use planning and\n\nregulation processes at the federal, state and local levels.\n\nE. The requirements of this section shall not apply to lands on\n\nwhich surface coal mining operations were being conducted on August\n\n3, 1977, or under a permit issued pursuant to this act or the Coal\n\nReclamation Act of 1978, or where substantial legal and financial\n\ncommitments in such operation were in existence prior to January 4,\n\n1977.","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":"6898ae92231fe9ddf00508590df40b02c3ed0b9221128a9f565af4362ff4e8de","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-780","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-45-45-782"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}