(225 ILCS 720/6.07) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7906.07)

Sec. 6.07. Forfeiture.

(a) The Attorney General, on request of the Department, shall institute proceedings to have the bond of the operator forfeited for violation by the operator of any of the provisions of this Act or for noncompliance with any lawful rule or regulation promulgated by the Department thereunder. Before making such request of the Attorney General, the Department shall notify the operator in writing of the alleged violation or non-compliance and shall afford the operator the right to appear before the Department at a hearing to be held not less than 30 days after the receipt of such notice by the operator. At the hearing the operator may present for the consideration of the Department statements, documents and other information with respect to the alleged violation. After the conclusion of the hearing, the Department shall either withdraw the notice of violation or shall request the Attorney General to institute proceedings to have the bond of the operator forfeited as to the land involved.

(b) The Department shall prescribe by rule the events and conditions on the basis of which it may request the Attorney General to institute bond forfeiture proceedings. Such rules shall be no less stringent than the Regulations.

(c) In the event that the Department requests the Attorney General to institute proceedings to have the bond forfeited, the Department shall send written notification to the permittee and, if applicable, the surety on the bond, stating the reasons for its decision and the amount to be forfeited.

(d) The amount of forfeiture shall be based on the actual cost of the necessary work by a third party to remedy the violation, except that the amount shall not exceed the amount of the bond or deposit for the area in which the violation occurred.

(e) Any operator against whom forfeiture proceedings have been required shall not be issued a permit for further mining in Illinois unless he provides additional assurances satisfactory to the Department that such proceedings will not again become necessary.

(f) In the event the bond or deposit for a surface coal mining operation on lands eligible for remining is forfeited, funds appropriated for expenditure under the Abandoned Mined Lands and Water Reclamation Act may be used if the amount of the bond or deposit is not sufficient to provide for adequate reclamation or abatement.

(Source: P.A. 90-490, eff. 8-17-97.)