(a) Within 30 days after the last publication of notice under Section 131.159 of this code, a person affected or a federal, state, or local governmental agency or authority is entitled to file with the commission written objections to the application for a surface mining permit or to the application for the renewal, revision, or transfer of a surface mining permit.
(b) The written objections shall be made part of the record and one copy of the written objections shall be furnished to the operator.