Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 1979 By: Logan
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the Department of Mines; creating
7 the Mining and Blasting Residential Protection Act;
8 providing short title; defining terms; establishing
8 criteria for certain permit; requiring certain
9 notification; stating applicability; authorizing
9 promulgation of rules; requiring certain cessation;
10 authorizing certain penalties; providing for
10 noncodification; providing for codification; and
11 providing an effective date.
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14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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15 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
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16 codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
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17 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Mining and
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18 Blasting Residential Protection Act".
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19 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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20 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 9.2 of Title 45, unless there is
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21 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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22 A. For the purposes of this section:
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Req. No. 2994 Page 1
1 1. "Blasting operation" means the use of explosives associated
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2 with mining pursuant to the provisions of Title 45 of the Oklahoma
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3 Statutes and rules of the Department of Mines;
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4 2. "Buffer zone" means the horizontal distance measured in a
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5 straight line at the surface between a mining or blasting operation
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6 and the boundary of a residence, residentially zoned property, or
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7 protected structure;
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8 3. "Mining operation" means mineral extraction and surface
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9 mining;
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10 4. "Protected structure" includes a:
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11 a. church,
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12 b. hospital,
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13 c. licensed daycare facility,
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14 d. public or private school,
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15 e. nursing home or skilled nursing facility, and
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16 f. residence not owned by the mining or blasting permit
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17 holder;
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18 5. "Residence" means a home occupied by the owner or a tenant
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19 and not owned by a mining or blasting permit holder; and
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20 6. "Residentially zoned property" means land zoned as AG-R, R-
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21 3, any RES classification, or other similar classification for
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22 residential use.
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Req. No. 2994 Page 2
1 B. 1. A new mining permit or expansion shall not be authorized
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2 for surface mining, excavation, or blasting within eight hundred
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3 (800) feet of any residence or residentially zoned property.
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4 2. A mining or blasting permit shall not be authorized for
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5 mining or blasting operations within eight hundred (800) feet of any
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6 protected structure.
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7 3. The Department of Mines shall not issue a new permit or
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8 approve an expansion unless the applicant demonstrates compliance
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9 with paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection.
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10 C. A mining operation permit shall include a:
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11 1. Map identifying all residentially zoned properties and
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12 protected structures within eight hundred (800) feet of the proposed
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13 mining or blasting operation area; and
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14 2. Clear depiction of the required eight-hundred-foot buffer
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15 zone.
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16 A blasting operation permit shall include the requirements in
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17 paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection as well as a blasting plan
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18 that demonstrates buffer zone compliance pursuant to rules
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19 promulgated by the Department of Mines.
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20 D. 1. In order to obtain a permit for a mining or blasting
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21 operation, the applicant shall post signs and mail notices, pursuant
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22 to paragraph 2 of this subsection, of the proposed mining or
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23 blasting operation. The signs and letters shall be required for
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Req. No. 2994 Page 3
1 initial zoning, rezoning, special exception, conditional use, or
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2 similar requests and for final mining permits. The signs shall:
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3 a. be posted along all public roads adjacent to the
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4 proposed permit area,
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5 b. be no less than four (4) square feet in size with
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6 lettering at least two (2) inches tall, and
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7 c. state the name of the applicant, the type of
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8 application, and contact information for the
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9 Department of Mines for the purposes of public comment
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10 inquiries.
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11 2. Notices shall be sent by mail to any address that lies
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12 within the buffer zone of intent to make an application for
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13 rezoning, special exception, or other application to the Department
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14 of Mines forty-five (45) days in advance of such application
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15 submission.
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16 3. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to current
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17 mining operations with valid permits unless the applicant is filing
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18 an amendment or expansion request.
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19 E. The Department of Mines shall promulgate rules to effectuate
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20 the provisions of this section. If an applicant operates within the
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21 buffer zone without a permit as required by this section, the
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22 Department shall issue a cessation order until compliance is
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23 restored. Permit suspension or revocation and civil penalties may
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24 be imposed for violations of this section.
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Req. No. 2994 Page 4
1 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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3 60-2-2994 CN 1/15/2026 9:23:45 AM
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Req. No. 2994 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.