Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 53 - OIL, GAS, AND OTHER MINERALS (§§ 53-1-1 — 53-11-33) › Chapter 9 - SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OF LAND (§§ 53-9-1 — 53-9-123) › MISSISSIPPI SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION LAW (§§ 53-9-1 — 53-9-91) › Section 53-9-67 - Civil action; costs; nonexclusivity of provisions; limitations on liability

(1)
Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, any interested party may commence a civil action to compel compliance with this chapter:
(a)
Against the state or a state instrumentality or agency which is alleged to be in violation of this chapter or any rule, regulation, order or permit issued under this chapter, or against any other person who is alleged to be in violation of this chapter or any rule, regulation, order or permit issued under this chapter; or
(b)
Against the department, commission or permit board if there is alleged a failure of any one or more of them to perform any nondiscretionary act or duty under this chapter.
(2)
No action may be commenced:
(a)
Under subsection (1)(a) of this section, (i) before sixty (60) days after the plaintiff has given notice in writing of the violation to the executive director, chief legal counsel of the department, the Attorney General of the state and to any alleged violator, or (ii) if the commission has commenced and is diligently prosecuting a civil action in a court of the state or the United States to require compliance with this chapter, or any rule, regulation, order or permit issued under this chapter, but in any action any interested party may intervene as a matter of right;
(b)
Under subsection (1)(b) of this section before sixty (60) days after the plaintiff has given notice in writing of the action to the executive director, chief legal counsel of the department and commission, in the manner as the commission shall by regulation prescribe. That action may be brought immediately after the notification if the violation or order complained of constitutes an imminent threat to the health or safety of the plaintiff or would immediately affect a legal interest of the plaintiff.
(3)
(a)
Any action under this section alleging a violation of this chapter or any rule or regulation promulgated under this chapter may be brought only in the chancery court of the judicial district in which the surface coal mining operation complained of is located, except any action brought under subsection (1)(b) of this section shall be brought in the chancery court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County.
(b)
In any action under this section the permit board or commission, if not a party, may intervene as a matter of right.
(4)
The court, in issuing a final order in any action brought under subsection (1) of this section, may award costs of litigation, including attorney and expert witness fees, to any party, whenever the court determines that award is appropriate, but the permittee shall not be entitled to an award of attorney's fees unless the court determines that the action of the person opposing the permittee was frivolous, unreasonable or without foundation. No award of attorney's fees or expert witness fees shall be made against a person having an interest in real property that is or may be adversely affected by the surface coal mining operations. The court may, if a preliminary injunction is sought, require the filing of a bond or equivalent security in accordance with state law.
(5)
Nothing in this section shall restrict any right which any person or class of persons may have under any statute or the common law, to seek enforcement of this chapter and the rules and regulations promulgated under this chapter, or to seek any other relief, including relief against the department, commission or the permit board.
(6)
Any provisions of this section and chapter regarding liability for the costs of clean-up, removal, remediation or abatement of any pollution, hazardous waste or solid waste shall be limited as provided in Section
49-17-42
and rules under that section.
Laws, 1979, ch. 477, § 28; Laws, 1995, ch. 627, § 13; Laws, 1997, ch. 306, § 32, eff. 3/10/1997.