History of reclamation: the times - they are a changin'
Surface mining in Kentucky and the US has risen from rather sporadic beginnings in the late 1800's to a full fledged, heavily regulated industry in the 1980's. The industry has undergone a more traumatic regulatory metamorphosis in the past twenty-five years than any other single industry in the US. Reclamation requirements have gone from supplying a simple mine registration with the appropriate agency immediately prior to beginning operations to spending as much as 18-24 months collecting data for what amounts to a mini-environmental impact statement which must be submitted as part of a lengthy application several months prior to actual start-up of the operation itself. Increasingly stringent laws have been the result of two main forces: (1) Increasing citizen concern to save the environment and (2) Increasingly efficient technology which can both mine more coal (and as a result disturb more ground). This paper will follow the evolution of the coal mining and reclamation industry, from its beginning in the late nineteenth century when surface mining was conducted with a pick-and-shovel and a mule-drawn scraper to the present day, when a 100 cu.yd. stripping shovel is almost commonplace. Particular attention will be given to the relationship between the evolving technology and the increasingly stringent laws. 33 references.
- Research Organization:
- Reclamation Services Unlimited, Inc., Madisonville, KY
- OSTI ID:
- 5452062
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-851213-
- Journal Information:
- Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States), Conference: 7. annual national symposium on surface mining, hydrology, sedimentology and reclamation, Lexington, KY, USA, 8 Dec 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL INDUSTRY
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
SURFACE MINING
LAND RECLAMATION
REGULATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
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SURFACE MINING ACTS
FEDERAL REGION IV
INDUSTRY
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