(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 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 §942.773(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 by §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.

(6) Adequacy of information to allow the Office to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4322, shall be considered in the determination of a complete application. The Office may require specific additional information from the applicant as any environmental review progresses when such specific information is needed. Failure to submit the additional information by the date(s) requested could result in disapproval of the application.

(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) Review of Tennessee State program permits. In lieu of the provisions of §773.5(d)(2) of this chapter, the following shall apply:

(1) Beginning on the effective date of this program, the Office will review all permanent program permits issued by the State of Tennessee.

(2) If the Office determines that any State permit was granted contrary to the provisions of the Act, the Office will: (i) Notify the permittee in writing and state the reasons for its determination; (ii) provide the permittee a reasonable time within which to resubmit the permit application in whole or in part, as appropriate; (iii) provide the permittee a reasonable time within which to conform ongoing surface coal mining and reclamation operations to the requirements of this part; and (iv) provide the permittee with the opportunity for a non-adjudicatory hearing to contest the determination by the Office.

(3) If the permittee fails to resubmit the permit application or conform the ongoing surface coal mining and reclamation operations to the requirements of this part within the time specified, the Office may suspend or revoke the permit.

(4) The Office's suspension or revocation of a permit under paragraph (d)(3) of this section shall be subject to administrative and judicial review in accordance with the provisions of part 775 of this chapter.

[49 FR 38892, Oct. 1, 1984, as amended at 65 FR 79672, Dec. 19, 2000]