KRS 132.820 — Assessment of unmined coal, oil, and gas reserves held separately from surface real property -- Exceptions -- Effect of appeal on payment of taxes

(1) The department shall value and assess unmined coal, oil, and gas reserves, and any
other mineral or energy resources which are owned, leased, or otherwise controlled
separately from the surface real property at no more than fair market value in place,
considering all relevant circumstances. Unmined coal, oil, and gas reserves and
other mineral or energy resources shall in all cases be valued and assessed by the
Department of Revenue as a distinct interest in real property, separate and apart
from the surface real estate unless:
(a) The unmined coal, oil, and gas reserves, and other mineral or energy resources
are owned in their entirety by the surface owner;
(b) The surface owner is neither engaged in the severance, extraction, processing,
or leasing of mineral or other energy resources nor is he an affiliate of a
person who engages in those activities; and
(c) The surface is being used by the surface owner primarily for the purpose of
raising for sale agricultural crops, including planted and managed timberland,
or livestock or poultry.
For purposes of this section, "affiliate" means a person who directl y or indirectly
owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or
control with, another individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation,
or any other organization or group of persons.
(2) Each owner or lessee of prop erty assessed under subsection (1) of this section shall
annually, between January 1 and April 15, file a return with the department in a
form as the department may prescribe. Other individuals or corporations having
knowledge of the property defined in su bsection (1) of this section gained through
contracting, extracting, or similar means may also be required by the department to
file a return.
(3) Any property subject to assessment by the department under subsection (1) of this
section which has not been listed for taxation, for any year in which it is taxable, by
April 15 of that year shall be omitted property.
(4) After the valuation of unmined minerals or other energy sources has been finally
fixed by the department, the department shall certify to the county clerk of each
county the amount liable for county, city, or district taxation. The report shall be
filed by the county clerk in his office, and shall be certified by the county clerk to
the proper collecting officer of the county, city, or taxing district for collection.
(5) The notification, protest, and appeal of assessments under subsection (1) of this
section shall be made pursuant to the provisions of KRS Chapter 131.
(6) No appeal shall delay the collection or payment of taxes based upon the as sessment
in controversy. The taxpayer shall pay all state, county, and district taxes due on the
valuation which the taxpayer claims as the true value as stated in the protest filed
under KRS 131.110. When the valuation is finally determined upon appeal, t he
taxpayer shall be billed for any additional tax and interest at the tax interest rate as
defined in KRS 131.010(6), from the date the tax would have become due if no
appeal had been taken. The provisions of KRS 134.015(6) shall apply to the tax bill.
(7) The collection of tax bills generated from the assessments made under subsection
(1) of this section shall be made pursuant to the provisions of KRS Chapter 134.