Prior to acquiring any land affected by unreclaimed surface mines, the Secretary of Environmental Resources shall extend to the owners thereof an opportunity to backfill, plant and do other acts of restoration thereon to the same extent and within the same time limits as prescribed by the act of May 31, 1945 (P.L. 1198, No. 418),¹ known as the “Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act,” and if the owners agree to do so and, weather permitting, start such restoration within a period of thirty days, the land shall not be acquired by the Commonwealth.