Ohio Code § 1514.04

§ 1514.04.

(A) Upon receipt of notification from the chief of the division of mineral resources

management of the chief's intent to issue an order granting a surface or in-stream

mining permit to the applicant, the applicant shall file a surety bond, cash, an irrevocable

letter of credit, or certificates of deposit in the amount, unless otherwise provided

by rule, of ten thousand dollars.  If the amount of land to be affected is more than twenty acres, the applicant also

shall file a surety bond, cash, an irrevocable letter of credit, or certificates of

deposit in the amount of five hundred dollars per acre of land to be affected that

exceeds twenty acres.  Upon receipt of notification from the chief of the chief's intent to issue an order

granting an amendment to a surface or in-stream mining permit, the applicant shall

file a surety bond, cash, an irrevocable letter of credit, or certificates of deposit

in the amount required in this division. In the case of a surface mining permit, the bond shall be filed based on the number

of acres estimated to be affected during the first year of operation under the permit.  In the case of an amendment to a surface mining permit, the bond shall be filed

based on the number of acres estimated to be affected during the balance of the period

until the next anniversary date of the permit. In the case of an in-stream mining permit, the bond shall be filed based on the number

of acres of land within the limits of the in-stream mining permit for the entire permit

period.  In the case of an amendment to an in-stream mining permit, the bond shall be filed

based on the number of any additional acres of land to be affected within the limits

of the in-stream mining permit. (B) A surety bond filed pursuant to this section and sections 1514.02 and 1514.03 of the Revised Code shall be upon the form that the chief prescribes and provides and shall be signed

by the operator as principal and by a surety company authorized to transact business

in the state as surety. The bond shall be payable to the state and shall be conditioned upon the faithful

performance by the operator of all things to be done and performed by the operator

as provided in this chapter and the rules and orders of the chief adopted or issued

pursuant thereto.  The operator may deposit with the chief, in lieu of a surety bond, cash in an amount

equal to the surety bond as prescribed in this section or an irrevocable letter of

credit or negotiable certificates of deposit issued by any bank organized or transacting

business in this state having a cash value equal to or greater than the amount of

the surety bond as prescribed in this section.  Cash or certificates of deposit shall be deposited upon the same terms as the terms

upon which surety bonds may be deposited.  If the operator deposits cash, the cash shall be credited to the performance cash

bond refunds fund created in section 1501.16 of the Revised Code .  If the operator deposits certificates of deposit, the chief shall require the bank

that issued any such certificate to pledge securities of a cash value equal to the

amount of the certificate that is in excess of the amount insured by the federal deposit

insurance corporation.  The securities shall be security for the repayment of the certificate of deposit. (C) Upon a deposit of cash, a letter of credit, or certificates with the chief, the chief

shall hold it in trust for the purposes for which it has been deposited.  The chief shall be responsible for the safekeeping of such deposits.  An operator making a deposit of cash, a letter of credit, or certificates of deposit

may withdraw and receive, from the chief, all or any part of the cash, letter of credit,

or certificates in the possession of the chief upon depositing with the chief an irrevocable

letter of credit or negotiable certificates of deposit issued by any bank organized

or transacting business in this state, equal in value to the value of the cash, letter

of credit, or certificates withdrawn.  An operator may demand and receive from the chief all interest or other income from

any certificates as it becomes due.  If certificates deposited with and in the possession of the chief mature or are

called for payment by the issuer thereof, the chief, at the request of the operator

who deposited them, shall convert the proceeds of the redemption or payment of the

certificates into such other negotiable certificates of deposit issued by any bank

organized or transacting business in this state or cash, as may be designated by the

operator. (D) A governmental agency, as defined in division (A) of section 1514.022 of the Revised Code , or a board or commission that derives its authority from a governmental agency shall

not require a surface or in-stream mining operator to file a surety bond or any other

form of financial assurance for the reclamation of land to be affected by a surface

or in-stream mining operation authorized under this chapter.