(a) Part 773 of this chapter, Requirements for Permits and Permit Processing, shall apply to any person who applies for a permit for surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

(b) In addition to the requirements of part 773, the following permit application review procedures shall apply:

(1) Any person applying for a permit shall submit five copies of the application to the Office.

(2) The Office shall review an application for administrative completeness and acceptability for further review and shall notify the applicant in writing of the findings. The Office may:

(i) Reject a flagrantly deficient application, notifying the applicant of the findings;

(ii) Request additional information required for completeness stating specifically what information must be supplied and negotiate the date by which the information must be submitted; or

(iii) Judge the application administratively complete and acceptable for further review.

(3) Should the applicant not submit the information as required by §910.773(b)(2)(ii) by the specified date, the Office may reject the application. When the applicant submits the required information by the specified date, the Office shall review it and advise the applicant concerning its acceptability.

(4) When the application is judged administratively complete, the applicant shall be advised by the Office to file the public notice required §773.6 of this chapter.

(5) A representative of the Office shall visit the proposed permit area to determine whether the operation and reclamation plans are consistent with actual site conditions. The applicant will be notified in advance of the time of the visit. At the time of the visit, the applicant shall have the locations of the proposed permit boundaries, topsoil storage areas, sediment control structures, roads, and other significant features contained in the application marked by flags.

(c) In addition to the information required by subchapter G of this chapter, the Office may require an applicant to submit supplementary information to ensure compliance with applicable Federal laws and regulations other than the Act.

(d) Issuance of permits shall also be coordinated with permits issued pursuant to the Georgia Water Quality Control Act, section 17-501; the Georgia Solid Waste Management Act, section 43-1681; the Georgia Air Quality Act of 1973; the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management Act of 1979; the Georgia Groundwater Use Act; and the rules of the Georgia Fire Safety Commission on blasters' permits.

(e) The Secretary shall provide for coordination of review and issuance of permits for surface mining and reclamation operations with applicable requirements of the Georgia Wildflower Preservation Act of 1973, section 43-1801 et seq.; the Georgia Endangered Wildlife Act of 1973, section 43-2101 et seq.; the Georgia Heritage Trust Act of 1975, section 43-2301 et seq.; and the Georgia Cave Protection Act of 1977, section 43-2501 et seq.

[52 FR 13806, Apr. 24, 1987, as amended at 65 FR 79672, Dec. 19, 2000]