Virginia Administrative Code
Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Agency 25 - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Chapter 130 - COAL SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION REGULATIONS
Part 801 - Coal Surface Mining Reclamation Fund, Penalties, and Self-Bonding
Section 4VAC25-130-801.15 - Collection of the reclamation tax and penalties for non-payment

(a) The division shall notify, in writing, each permittee participating in the Pool Bond Fund, at the end of each calendar quarter, of those periods during which the reclamation taxes are applicable or deferred. The permittee shall on a quarterly basis file a notarized copy of the "Coal Surface Mining Reclamation Fund Tax Reporting Form" with the division: Attention Director. The permittee shall file the report by permit and applicable tonnage mined, processed, and/or loaded no later than the 15th day of the month after the end of each calendar quarter, even if no coal was mined, processed and/or loaded on the permit(s).

(b) Each permittee participating in the Fund shall submit to the division's Big Stone Gap Office full payment of the appropriate reclamation taxes required under 4VAC25-130-801.14(a) or (e) within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter, when the taxes are applicable. Payment of the reclamation taxes shall be in cash, cashier's check, certified check or personal check made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.

(c) Where the division has reason to suspect inaccurate reporting of the production of clean tons of coal, it may request to audit the relevant books and records of the permittee upon which the taxes paid under this Part are based. The request shall be in writing and sent to the permittee or his authorized representative by certified mail, return receipt requested. Failure to consent to the request for the audit shall be deemed a violation of this Part and subject to the enforcement procedures of Part 843. The audit shall be conducted at reasonable times during normal business hours and the permittee shall be given adequate advance notice of when the audit is to be conducted.

(d) If the permittee fails to make full payment of the reclamation taxes due under 4VAC25-130-801.14, the division shall issue a notice of violation in accordance with 4VAC25-130-843.12. The notice shall state that upon failure to make full payment within 15 calendar days thereafter, the division shall issue a cessation order to the permittee for failure to abate the notice of violation. If the cessation order is issued, the enforcement procedures of Part 843 shall apply.

(e) The division shall assess a civil penalty in accordance with Part 845, for the permittee's violation of the conditions set forth in this Part. Civil penalties imposed upon the permittee for violation of this section, shall be placed in the Pool Bond Fund.