Public information and inspection.

(a) An applicant for a permit shall file a copy of the application for public inspection at a location designated by the commissioner near the area of the proposed surface coal mining operation. The applicant may exclude from the copy filed under this subsection information that is confidential under (c) of this section.

(b) Copies of records, permits, inspection materials, data obtained under AS 27.21.120 , or other information obtained under this chapter by the commissioner relating to a surface coal mining and reclamation operation, other than information that is confidential under (c) of this section, must be made immediately and conveniently available to the public at the district office of the department closest to the location of the surface coal mining and reclamation operation.

(c) Information (1) gathered from the proposed permit area included in the application for a permit and pertaining to coal seams, test borings, core samplings, or soil samples must be made available to any person with an interest that is or may be adversely affected, except that information that relates only to the analysis of the chemical and physical properties of the coal, other than information regarding the mineral or elemental content that is potentially toxic in the environment, must be kept confidential and not made a matter of public record;

(2) in the applicant's reclamation plan relating to the competitive rights of the applicant, including but not limited to trade secrets, commercial or financial information, and geologic information specifically identified as confidential by the applicant and determined by the commissioner to be not essential for public review shall be kept confidential and not be made a matter of public record.