Środowiskowo-prawne aspekty planowania przestrzennego na terenach górniczych

The environmental and legal aspects of spatial planning in mining areas presented in this work should be considered important, especially in the region of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, where mining has been carried out since the 17th century until present. Such a long period of mining activity, characterized by a particularly negative impact on the environment, has led to a number of adverse consequences for buildings and other infrastructure facilities. There-fore, it became necessary to develop and implement legal instruments aimed at reducing the negative influence of mining works on the environment. An important tool for achieving the indicated objectives is a forecast on the negative impact of mining works on land surface, which should be submitted by the mining entrepreneur as part of a deposit development plan. The negative impact of mining works on land surface usually results in land depression and defor-mation as well as the loss of its continuity, accompanied by the formation of cracks and faults. After the information submitted by the entrepreneur has been verified by the District Mining Office, it becomes one of the most important elements of the licence decision as it results in designating mining areas and so-called protective pillars. Interestingly, the currently appli-cable Geological and Mining Law of June 9, 2011, unlike the previously applicable regulation of February 4, 1994, does not impose a legal obligation to prepare local development plans for mining areas. It seems, however, that in the event such areas exist, their purpose and land development methods should be determined in the form of a local legal act despite the lack of a statutory requirement. This solution enables introducing restrictions on property develop-ment and, consequently, makes it possible to reduce mining damage.