Each prospect hole, other drill or borehole, well, or other exposed underground opening shall be cased, sealed, or otherwise managed, as approved by the Bureau, to prevent acid or other toxic drainage from entering ground or surface waters, to minimize disturbance to the prevailing hydrologic balance, and to ensure the safety of people, livestock, fish and wildlife, and machinery in the mine plan and adjacent area. If these openings are uncovered or exposed by surface mining activities within the permit area they shall be permanently closed, unless approved for water monitoring, or otherwise managed in a manner approved by the Bureau. This does not apply to holes drilled and used only for blasting.

Authority: Environment Article, §15-503, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulations .01—.11 were previously codified as COMAR 08.13.09.23A—K, respectively. Recodification occurred in April, 1993. For a history of these regulations before April, 1993, see "Administrative History of COMAR 08.13.09 before April, 1993" which follows COMAR 26.20.01.

Regulations .03—.05, .09A, and .10A amended effective October 23, 1995 (22:21 Md. R. 1614)

Chapter recodified from COMAR 08.20.20 to COMAR 26.20.20, June 1996