1. (a) The Secretary shall establish within the Bituminous Coal Open-Pit Mining Reclamation Fund a reserve to be used to replace water supplies that are determined to have been affected by an open-pit mining operation, after all the bonds under § 15-507 of this subtitle covering the operation that affected the water supply have been released in accordance with § 15-507 of this subtitle.
2. (b) One cent of the mine reclamation surcharge that the Department assesses for each ton of coal removed by the open-pit or strip method under § 15-509 of this subtitle shall be paid into the water supply replacement reserve.

3. (c)

   1. (1) When the amount of the reserve equals or exceeds $50,000, payment of the 1 cent into the reserve shall end temporarily.
   2. (2) When the amount of the reserve is reduced below $25,000 because of payment made under this section, payment of the 1 cent into the reserve shall resume.

Added by Acts 1988, c. 466. Amended by Acts 1989, c. 531, § 1. Renumbered from Natural Resources § 7-514.1 by Acts 1995, c. 488, § 2, eff. July 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1995, c. 488, § 16, eff. July 1, 1995.