Remining to reclaim abandoned mined lands: Virginia`s initiative
- Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Dept. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences
- Virginia Dept. of Mines, Minerals and Energy, Big Stone Gap, VA (United States). Div. of Mined Land Reclamation
Abandoned Mined Lands (AML) are lands that were mined prior to implementation of the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) in 1977, but were inadequately reclaimed. Re-mining of AML is being conducted on a routine basis by coal-mining operations in eastern states such as Virginia. Re-mining is a potentially important means of reclaiming AML. However, under current policies, re-mining operations often fail to permit and reclaim priority 1, 2, and 3 AML, especially those areas which present the most severe environmental problems. This paper describes policy issues which affect the potential for AML reclamation by re-mining operations in mountainous mining areas, such as Virginia; efforts underway in Virginia which seek to resolve those issues; and progress achieved to date under that initiative.
- OSTI ID:
- 361673
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9805185--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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