Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 91.djvu/492

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PUBLIC LAW 95-000—MMMM. DD, 1977

91 STAT. 458 Statements.

Penalty.

Geographic allocation. State or Indian reservation, allocation.

30 USC 181 note. 31 USC 1601 et seq.

PUBLIC LAW 95-87—AUG. 3, 1977 (c) Together with such reclamation fee, all operators of coal mine operations shall submit a statement of the amount of coal produced during the calendar quarter, the method of coal removal and the type of coal, the accuracy of which shall be sworn to by the operator and notarized. (d) Any person, corporate officer, agent or director, on behalf of a coal mine operator, who knowingly makes any false statement, representation or certification, or knowingly fails to make any statement, representation or certification required in this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. (e) Any portion of the reclamation fee not properly or promptly paid pursuant to this section shall be recoverable, with statutory interest, from coal mine operators, in any court of competent jurisdiction in any action at law to compel payment of debts. (f) All Federal and State agencies shall fully cooperate with the Secretary of the Interior in the enforcement of this section. (g)(1) The geographic allocation of expenditures from the fund shall reflect both the area from which the revenue was derived as well as the national program needs for the funds. (2) Fifty per centum of the funds collected annually in any State or Indian reservation shall be allocated to that State or Indian reservation by the Secretary pursuant to any approved abandoned mine reclamation program to accomplish the purposes of this title. Where the Governor of a State or the head of a governing body of a tribe certifies that (i) objectives of the fund set forth in sections 403 and 409 have been achieved, (ii) there is a need for construction of specific public facilities in communities impacted by coal development, (iii) impact funds which may be available under provisions of the Federal Mineral Leasing xVct of 1920, as amended, or the Act of October 20, 1976, Public Law 94-565 (90 Stat. 2662), are inadequate for such construction, and (iv) the Secretary concurs in such certification, then the Secretary may continue to allocate all or part of the 50 per centum share to that State or tribe for such construction: Provided, however, That if funds under this subparagraph (2) have not been expended within three years after their allocation, they shall be available for expenditure in any eligible area as determined by the Secretary. (3) The balance of funds collected on an annual basis may be expended in any State at the discretion of the Secretary in order to meet the purposes of this title. Such funds may be expended directly by the Secretary or by making additional grants to approved State reclamation programs pursuant to section 405 when the Secretary finds that such programs are the best means of accomplishing the specific reclamation projects. The Secretary shall consult and coordinate with the respective States those projects funded directly or in conjunction with other Federal agencies. OBJECTIVES o r FUND

30 USC 1233.

SEC. 403. Expenditure of moneys from the fund on lands and water eligible pursuant to section 404 for the purposes of this title shall reflect the following priorities in the order stated: (1) the protection of public health, safety, general welfare, and property from extreme danger of adverse effects of coal mining practices; (2) the protection of public health, safety, and general welfare from adverse effects of coal mining practices;