59-8-325 - Liens. - Tennessee Statutes

59-8-325. Liens.

(a)  Whenever the commissioner begins to expend money on a project to restore, reclaim, abate, control, or prevent adverse effects of past coal mining practices on privately owned property under § 59-8-324(f), the commissioner may file a notice with the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the property lies.

(b)  (1)  Within six (6) months after the completion of projects to restore, reclaim, abate, control, or prevent adverse effects of past coal mining practices on privately owned property under the provisions of § 59-8-324(f), the commissioner shall itemize the moneys so expended and shall file a statement thereof in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the property lies, together with notarized appraisals by an independent appraiser of the value of the property before and after the restoration, reclamation, abatement, control, or prevention of adverse effects of past coal mining practices, if the moneys so expended shall result in a significant increase in property value. Such statement shall constitute a lien upon such land. The lien shall not exceed the amount determined by the appraisal to be the increase in the market value of the property as a result of the restoration, reclamation, abatement, control, or prevention of the adverse effects of past coal mining practices. No lien shall be filed against the property of any person, in accordance with this subsection, who owned the surface prior to May 2, 1977, and who neither consented to nor participated in, nor exercised control over, the mining operation which necessitated the reclamation performed hereunder.

     (2)  In the year following the year in which the lien is filed in the designated county office and for each year thereafter until the lien is fully satisfied, the designees of the commissioner shall calculate an annual interest charge of five percent (5%) against the outstanding value of each lien, and shall maintain a record of the charges owing against such lien which shall be made available to the property owner upon request. This interest charge may be allowed to accrue but must be paid in full before the lien shall be considered fully satisfied and shall be released.

(c)  The property owner may proceed as provided by law to petition within sixty (60) days of the filing of the lien, to determine the increase in the market value of the property as a result of the restoration, reclamation, abatement, control, or prevention of the adverse effects of past coal mining practices. The amount appraised to be the increase in value of the property shall constitute the amount of the lien, and shall be recorded with the statement herein provided. Any party aggrieved by the decision may appeal as provided by state law.

(d)  The lien provided in this section shall be entered in the records of the register of deeds of the county in which the property lies. Such statements shall constitute a lien upon such property as of the date notice is filed pursuant to subsection (a), and shall have priority from the day of such filing of notice, but shall not affect, or have priority over, any valid lien, right, or interest in the property duly recorded, or duly perfected by filing, prior to the filing of the notice and shall not have priority over any real estate tax liens, whether attaching on the property before or after the filing of the notice. A lien on private property, and the accrued interest charges placed thereon, shall be satisfied to the extent of the value of the consideration received at the time of transfer of ownership, any other statute to the contrary notwithstanding.

(e)  A form of notice substantially as follows is sufficient to comply with subsection (a):