(a) Part 772 of this chapter, Requirements for Coal Exploration, shall apply to any person who conducts coal exploration. For applications where §772.12 applies, the requirements of paragraphs (b) through (d) apply in place of §772.12(c) (1) and (3) and §772.12(d)(1).

(b) Upon submission of an administratively complete application for an exploration permit, the applicant shall publish one public notice of the filing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county of the proposed exploration area, and provide proof of this publication to the regulatory authority within one week after the newspaper notice is published.

(c) Any person having an interest which is or may be adversely affected, shall have the right to file written comments for 10 days after the advertisement appears in the newspaper.

(d) The regulatory authority shall act upon an administratively complete application for a coal exploration permit and any written comments within 15 days from the close of the comment period. The approval of a coal exploration permit shall be based only on a complete and accurate application.