Tennessee Code Title 59. Mines and Mining § 59-8-108

(a) After a surface coal mining and reclamation permit application is approved, but prior to issuance of the permit, the applicant shall file with the commissioner, on a form prescribed and furnished by the commissioner, a bond for performance payable to this state and conditioned on the faithful performance of this part and the permit. The bond shall cover the area of land within the permit area upon which the operator will initiate and conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations within the initial term of the permit. As succeeding increments of surface coal mining and reclamation operations are to be initiated and conducted within the permit area, the operator shall file with the commissioner an additional bond or bonds to cover those increments in accordance with this section. The commissioner shall determine the amount of the bond required for each bonded area based upon the reclamation requirements of the approved permit and the probable difficulty of reclamation giving consideration to such factors as topography, geology of the site, hydrology, and revegetation potential. The amount of the bond must be sufficient to assure the completion of the reclamation plan if the work had to be performed by the commissioner in the event of forfeiture and in no case shall the bond for the entire area under one (1) permit be less than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000).

(c) Deleted by 2023 Pub.Acts, c. 401, § 4, eff. May 11, 2023.

(d) The commissioner shall adjust the amount of the bond or deposit required and the terms of each acceptance of the operator's bond from time to time as affected land acreages are amended and increased or decreased, as plans are changed, or when the cost of future reclamation changes.