Maryland Environment Section 15-203

      (a)      The Bureau shall supervise the execution and enforcement of any law enacted for the health and safety of persons and protection and conservation of property within, about, or related to bituminous coal mines in the State. To this end, it shall adopt and enforce necessary rules and regulations after giving due notice.

      (b)      The Bureau shall compile, publish, and distribute to interested persons, the mining laws and rules and regulations. The publication shall be made at reasonable times to keep the laws and rules and regulations current. The Bureau shall keep a record of any inspection or investigation and a copy of any official communication or record of work to be done. It shall preserve any report, statistics, and information received relating to the development of coal or other mining, or the enforcement of the provisions of this title.

      (c)      The Bureau shall encourage and assist reasonable efforts to improve mining methods and conditions to discover better ways to protect life and health, extend the serviceable use of instrumentalities, and promote the prosperity of the industry by reducing waste of natural resources and fostering economy in mining. It shall compile, statistically analyze, and compare available data regarding coal or other mining processes and operations, and advise any person engaged in that industry.

      (d)      The Director may institute proceedings in the name of the State by an action at law, suit in equity, or prosecution to enforce any provision of this title or any rule or regulation. This power does not exclude any right of an interested person to invoke the usual and ordinary process of a court against a violator of the mining laws.

      (e)      The Bureau may enter and inspect any mine in order to determine its safety condition. If the inspected mine is found unsafe or is operated in an unsafe manner, the Bureau shall order the immediate correction of the unsafe condition. If the unsafe condition is not corrected in the time prescribed, the Bureau shall order the mine closed until the owner or operator makes the necessary correction.

      (f)      The Bureau shall collect information in regard to mineral production and mine output.

      (g)      The Department shall report annually concerning the following information for each major watershed in Allegany and Garrett Counties, on a cumulative and annual basis:

            (1)      The total number of acres for which new or amended permits have been issued;

            (2)      The total number of acres which have been stripped;

            (3)      The total number of acres which have been planted; and

            (4)      The total number of acres for which the Bureau has released the revegetation bond.

      (h)      The Department may apply for, accept, administer, and expend funds from any source for the administration and implementation of this title, including the reclamation and revegetation of any land or water area affected by the mining of bituminous coal.