30 U.S.C. § 554 — Lands subject to chapter

Page 111 TITLE 30—MINERAL LANDS AND MINING § 556 ‘‘(1) In furtherance of the purposes of the Act of Au- gust 31, 1954 (30 U.S.C. 551–558) the Secretary of the In- terior, acting through the Director of the Office of Sur- face Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, shall, upon application by a State, enter into a cooperative agree- ment with any such State that has an approved aban- doned mine reclamation program pursuant to section 405 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 [30 U.S.C. 1235] to undertake the activities re- ferred to in section 3(b) of the Act of August 31, 1954 (30 U.S.C. 553(b)). The Secretary shall immediately enter into such cooperative agreement upon application by a State. Any such cooperative agreement shall not be subject to review or approval by the Appalachian Re- gional Development Commission. ‘‘(2) For the purposes of the cooperative agreements entered into pursuant to paragraph (1), the require- ments of section 5 of the Act of August 31, 1954 (30 U.S.C. 555) are hereby waived.’’ § 552. Definitions As used in this chapter: ‘‘Coal’’ means any of the recognized classifica- tions and ranks of coal, including anthracite, bi- tuminous, semibituminous, subbituminous, and lignite. ‘‘Outcrop’’ means any place where a formation is visible or substantially exposed at the sur- face. ‘‘Formation’’ means any vein, seam, stratum, bed, or other naturally occurring deposit. ‘‘Coal mine’’ means any underground, surface, or strip mine from which coal is obtained. ‘‘State’’ means any State or Territory of the United States, or any political subdivision thereof. ‘‘Person’’ means an individual, partnership, association, corporation, business trust, legal representative, or any organized group of per- sons. (Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1156, § 2, 68 Stat. 1009.) § 553. Duties of Secretary; surveys, research, etc.; projects The Secretary of the Interior, in order to ef- fectuate the policy declared in section 551 of this title, is hereby authorized— (a) to conduct surveys, investigations, and research relating to the causes and extent of outcrop and underground fires in coal forma- tions and the methods for control or extin- guishment of such fires; to publish the results of any such surveys, investigations, and re- searches; and to disseminate information con- cerning such method; and (b) to plan and execute projects for control or extinguishment of fires in coal formations. (Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1156, § 3, 68 Stat. 1009.) § 554. Lands subject to chapter The acts authorized in section 553 of this title may be performed— (a) on lands owned or controlled by the United States or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency having jurisdiction thereof; and (b) on any other lands, upon obtaining prop- er consent or the necessary rights or interests in such lands: Provided, however, That expendi- ture of Federal funds for this purpose in any privately owned operating coal mine shall be limited to the acts authorized in section 553(a) of this title. (Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1156, § 4, 68 Stat. 1009.) § 555. Conditions precedent for aid to non-Fed- eral lands (a) Enactment of local laws; agreements As a condition to the extending of any benefits under section 553(b) of this title to any lands not owned or controlled by the United States or any of its agencies, except where such action is nec- essary for the protection of lands or other prop- erty owned or controlled by the United States or any of its agencies, the Secretary of the Interior may require— (1) the enactment of State or local laws pro- viding for the control and extinguishment of outcrop and underground fires in coal forma- tions on State or privately owned land and the cooperation of State or local authorities in the work; and (2) agreements or covenants as to the per- formance and maintenance of the work re- quired to control or extinguish such fires. (b) Contributions The Secretary of the Interior shall require in connection with any project for the control or extinguishment of fires in any inactive coal mine on any lands not owned or controlled by the United States or any of its agencies, except where such project is necessary for the protec- tion of lands or other property owned or con- trolled by the United States or any of its agen- cies, (1) that the State or person owning or con- trolling such lands contribute on a matching basis 50 per centum of the cost of planning and executing such project, or (2), if such State or person furnishes evidence satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior of an inability to make the matching contribution herein provided for, that such State or person pay to the Govern- ment, within such period of time as the Sec- retary of the Interior shall determine, an amount equal to 50 per centum of the cost of planning and executing such project. At least 75 per centum of the funds expended in any fiscal year, from any appropriation available to carry out the purposes of this chapter, in connection with projects for the control or extinguishment of fires in inactive coal mines where such action is not necessary for the protection of lands or other property owned or controlled by the United States or any of its agencies, shall be ex- pended in conformity with clause (1) of this sub- section. (Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1156, § 5, 68 Stat. 1010.) § 556. Administration In carrying out the provisions of section 553 of this title the Secretary of the Interior is author- ized— (a) Employment of personnel to secure, by contract or otherwise, and without regard to the civil service laws and chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, for work of a temporary, intermittent, or emergency character, such personal serv- ices as may be deemed necessary for the effi-