§22-4-27. Exception for certain existing quarries.

(a) Quarries that are in operation on or before the effective date of this article, shall comply with the following:

(1) Within two years of the effective date of this article, all quarry operations shall submit to the director a quarrying and reclamation plan to bring the facility into compliance with the requirements of this article and any rules promulgated thereunder. These quarrying and reclamation plans shall include a reasonable schedule, based on site specific conditions and the nature of the quarry operation, to allow a transitional time period to bring the operation into compliance with current reclamation standards. Quarry areas that are disturbed on the effective date of this article are exempt from further reclamation requirements. For the purpose of this section, disturbed areas include existing highwalls and all material vertically below the surface of the area disturbed.

(2) Preblast survey and blasting plan requirements as provided for existing quarries as provided by section twelve of this article.

(3) Groundwater protection monitoring required by section fourteen of this article will not be required if the director verifies the operator's certification that no groundwater problems at the quarry have occurred in the previous five years.

(b) The exclusions of this section are also applicable to quarries permitted on or before the effective date of this article and consolidated or renewed pursuant to subsection (f) of section five of this article.

(c) Quarries in operation as of the effective date of this article for the past five years without a serious permit violation, shall participate in the bond pooling fund created in section twenty-two of this article. All other operations shall comply with the bonding requirements of section twenty of this article.