Section 11-8-2.2-9-901 - Authority(a) The Commission is authorized, under § 53-9-71 of the Act, to establish a planning process enabling objective decisions based upon competent and scientifically sound data and information as to which, if any, land areas of the state are unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining operations under the standards set forth in § 53-9-71(1)(b) and (c) and these regulations.(b) The completion of any planning process undertaken under this Rule of the regulations shall not be deemed a prerequisite to the Permit Board's issuance of surface coal mining permits or surface coal exploration permits. Rather, the planning process shall proceed supplementally to any individual permitting process.11 Miss. Code. R. § 8-2.2-9-901