PURPOSES

It is the purpose of this chapter: (1) to prevent adverse effects to society and the environment from unregulated surface coal mining operations as defined by this chapter; (2) to assure that the rights of surface landowners and other persons with a legal interest in the land or appurtenances to the land are protected from unregulated surface coal mining operations; (3) to assure that surface coal mining operations are conducted in a manner that will prevent unreasonable degradation of land and water resources; (4) to assure that reclamation of all land on which surface coal mining takes place occurs as contemporaneously as practicable with the surface coal mining, recognizing that extracting coal by responsible mining operations is an essential and beneficial economic activity; (5) to assure that the coal supply essential to this state's energy requirements and to its economic and social well-being is provided and to strike a balance between environmental protection and agricultural productivity and this state's need for coal as an essential source of energy; and (6) to promote the reclamation of mined areas left without adequate reclamation before the enactment of the federal Act and that continue, in their unreclaimed condition, substantially to degrade the quality of the environment, prevent or damage the beneficial use of land or water resources, or endanger the health or safety of the public.