§ 702.15 - Conditions of exemption and right of inspection and entry.

§ 702.15 Conditions of exemption and right of inspection and entry.

A person conducting activities covered by this part shall:

(a) Maintain on-site or at other locations available to authorized representatives of the regulatory authority and the Secretary information necessary to verify the exemption including, but not limited to, commercial use and sales information, extraction tonnages, and a copy of the exemption application and exemption approved by the regulatory authority;

(b) Notify the regulatory authority upon the completion of the mining operation or permanent cessation of all coal extraction activities; and

(c) Conduct operations in accordance with the approved application or when authorized to extract coal under § 702.11(b) or § 702.11(e)(3) prior to submittal or approval of an exemption application, in accordance with the standards of this part for Federal programs and on Indian lands or in accordance with counterpart provisions when included in State programs.

(d) Authorized representatives of the regulatory authority and the Secretary shall have the right to conduct inspections of operations claiming exemption under this part.

(e) Each authorized representative of the regulatory authority and the Secretary conducting an inspection under this part:

(1) Shall have a right of entry to, upon, and through any mining and reclamation operations without advance notice or a search warrant, upon presentation of appropriate credentials;

(2) May, at reasonable times and without delay, have access to and copy any records relevant to the exemption; and

(3) Shall have a right to gather physical and photographic evidence to document conditions, practices or violations at a site.

(f) No search warrant shall be required with respect to any activity under paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, except that a search warrant may be required for entry into a building.