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The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) ensures the cleanup of millions of acres of abandoned mine lands and ensures that the land was put to productive and beneficial use.
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) ensures the cleanup of millions of acres of abandoned mine lands and ensures that the land was put to productive and beneficial use.
- Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
Summary
Summary
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) was founded in 1977 by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) to ensure the cleanup of millions of acres of abandoned mine lands and to ensure that the land was put to productive and beneficial use.
OSMRE is the smallest Bureau at the Department of Interior, consisting of fewer than 400 people. Despite its small stature, its offices are located around the country from Charleston, West Virginia to Casper, Wyoming.
OSMRE plays an incredibly important role in protecting the public and the environment from the adverse effects of surface coal mining. This is done while balancing the nation’s need for energy security and continued domestic coal production. OSMRE has a far larger impact than just surface coal mining regulation and cleanup, as they have launched important efforts to protect the environment such as the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative and the Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program. Furthermore, they play an important role in designing training and technical assistance programs for State and Tribal governments.
Our mission is to carry out the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) in cooperation with States and Tribes. Our primary objectives are to ensure that coal mines are operated in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining and assures that the land is restored to beneficial use following mining, and to mitigate the effects of past mining by aggressively pursuing reclamation of abandoned coal mines.
Important Legislation
Important Legislation
Learn more from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
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