Sec. 10. (a) The director may not approve a permit application unless, in addition to the findings required by section 7 of this chapter, the director states in writing that the director has considered the effects of the proposed mining operation on a place listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or the Indiana state register of historic sites and structures.

     (b) If the director considers it appropriate in accordance with rules adopted by the commission under this section, the director may impose conditions on a permit for the protection of properties or sites listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or the Indiana state register of historic sites and structures requiring that:

(1) mining operations not occur in the areas occupied by the properties or sites; or

(2) measures be implemented to mitigate the effects of the operation upon those properties or sites before mining.

     (c) The commission shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to implement this section consistent with the following general principles:

(1) The commission’s rules may not prohibit the use of information from any source and shall recognize the responsibilities of the state historic preservation officer under IC 14-21-1-12 and IC 14-21-1-15.

(2) The commission’s rules must provide for participation by professional and amateur archeologists, anthropologists, historians, or related experts in any:

(A) field investigations;

(B) studies; or

(C) records searches;

required by the director under this section.

(3) The commission’s rules must strive to ensure that field investigations and studies are required only where a substantial likelihood exists that important and significant archeological or historic sites are present.

(4) In considering the effect of proposed surface coal mining and reclamation operations on a property or site eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the director shall consider the following:

(A) Based on information available from the division of historic preservation and archeology, the relative importance of the property or site compared to other properties or sites in Indiana listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

(B) The cost of an investigation of the permit area or site as estimated by the applicant. A decision that an investigation is not required may not be based on cost alone.

(5) This section does not authorize rules that impair the ownership of artifacts or other material found on private land.

     (d) The director may do the following:

(1) Investigate the possibility of obtaining available federal or private:

(A) grants;

(B) subsidies; or

(C) aid;

to defer the cost to private individuals of measures required by the director under this section.

(2) Apply for any:

(A) grants;

(B) aid; or

(C) subsidies;

that the director determines are available.

     (e) In making the finding required by this section, the director shall take into account the general principles set forth in subsection (c).

     (f) This section and the rules adopted under this section may not be enforced if and to the extent that any federal court holds that the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. §§ 1201–1328) does not authorize the requirements of records searches, field investigations, or other studies in connection with application for surface coal mining operations.

[Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 13-4.1-4-3.1.]

As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.27. Amended by P.L.16-2009, SEC.25.