Before a permit is issued, the applicant must file a performance bond with the division, or the operator may use other listed security instead.
1. After a permit application has been approved but before issuance, the applicant shall file with the division, on a form furnished by the division, a bond for performance payable to the state and conditioned upon faithful performance by the operator of all requirements of this chapter and all rules adopted by the division pursuant to this chapter. 2. The bond shall be signed by the operator as principal and by a corporate surety licensed to do business in Iowa as surety. In lieu of a bond, the operator may deposit cash, or government securities, or certificates of deposit or letters of credit with the division on the same conditions as for filing of bonds. 3. The amount of the bond or other security required to be filed with the division shall be equal to the estimated cost of reclamation of the site if performed by the division. The estimated cost of reclamation of each individual site shall be determined by the division on the basis of relevant factors. The division may require each applicant to furnish information necessary to estimate the cost of reclamation. The amount of the bond or other security may be increased or reduced as the permitted operation changes, or when the cost of future reclamation changes. However, the bond amount shall not be less than ten thousand dollars. 4. Liability under the bond shall be for the duration of the coal mining and reclamation operation and for a period coincident with operator’s responsibility for revegetation requirements in the rules promulgated under section 207.7. 5. If the license to do business in Iowa of a surety of a bond filed with the division is suspended or revoked, the operator, within thirty days after receiving notice from the division, shall substitute another surety. If the operator fails to make substitution, the division may suspend the operator’s authorization to conduct mining on the site covered by the bond until substitution has been made. The commissioner of insurance shall notify the division whenever the license of any surety providing bond for an operator is suspended or revoked. 6. Notwithstanding sections 12C.7, subsection 2, and 666.3, the interest or earnings on investments or time deposits of the proceeds of a performance bond forfeited to the division, cash deposited under subsection 2, any funds provided for the abandoned mine reclamation program under section 207.21 and any civil penalties collected pursuant to sections 207.14 and 207.15 shall be credited to the payment of costs and administrative expenses associated with the reclamation, restoration or abatement activities of the division. The division may expend funds credited to it under this subsection to conduct reclamation activities on any areas disturbed by coal mining not subject to a presently valid permit to conduct surface mining. [C81, §83.10] 85 Acts, ch 140, §1 C93, §207.10 Referred to in §207.14