(a) In the reclamation of land affected by surface mining, the commissioner may utilize any services which may be provided by other state or local agencies or by agencies of the federal government, and may compensate them for such service. The commissioner may also receive any federal funds, state funds, or any other funds for the reclamation of land affected by surface mining. The commissioner may cause the reclamation and revegetation work to be done by employees of the commissioner’s department or by employees of other governmental agencies or through contracts with qualified persons. Such contracts shall be awarded to the lowest or best bidder upon competitive bids after reasonable advertisement.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 59-8-213

  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of environment and conservation or the commissioner's designees. See Tennessee Code 59-8-202
  • Lands: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Reclamation: means the process of backfilling, grading and shaping of the disturbed land in the affected area, constructing water control facilities, the taking of measures to control current or future air, water or soil pollution, and the planting of vegetation, and other measures. See Tennessee Code 59-8-202
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Surface mining: means all or any part of the process followed in the production of minerals from a natural mineral deposit by the open pit or open cut method, auger method, highwall mining method which requires a new cut or removal of overburden, or any other mining process in which the strata or overburden is removed or displaced in order to recover the mineral. See Tennessee Code 59-8-202
(b) Any funds available to the commissioner and any public works program may be used and expended to reclaim any lands that have been subjected to surface mining that have not been reclaimed in accordance with standards set by this part or regulations thereunder and which are not covered by bond to guarantee such reclamation.
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