(a) The Secretary of Environmental Resources may, with the approval of the Governor, sell such land at public sale to the highest bidder but for a price not less than the current market value. Such land shall be sold subject to the condition that no open pit or strip mining shall be carried on thereon at any time thereafter. The proceeds of any such sale shall be credited to the appropriation from which the purchase price or damages were originally paid or the then current appropriation for similar purposes.

(b) The Secretary of Environmental Resources may, with the approval of the Governor, transfer title to such land to the municipality or the county in which it is located upon the condition that the land shall only be used for public purposes.