From the surface mine to cropland

Journal Article · · Environment; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00139157.1986.9929868· OSTI ID:5789020

Plotkin, S E

At the same time, coal operators have expressed concerns both about the stringency and inflexibility of various aspects of SMCRA and its accompanying regulations, and about federal and state enforcement policy. The Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) has, in its role as overseer of the state programs, raised significant concerns about state regulations and enforcement. In turn, state regulatory authorities have complaints about OSM's rigidity and unrealistic national policies. In particular, extensive concerns about the prime farmland reclamation process have been raised in a recent report, The Lost Harvest, which is sharply critical of the way both OSM and the midwestern states have interpreted and enforced SMCRA, and is equally critical of the response of the coal companies to SMCRA's reclamation objectives. Responding to these concerns, the congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) has evaluated the success of farmland reclamation under SMCRA. This article briefly describes the results of OTA's evaluation.

• OSTI ID: 5789020
• Journal Information: Environment; (United States), Journal Name: Environment; (United States) Vol. 28:1; ISSN ENVTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
ABANDONED SITES
COAL MINING
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
LAND RECLAMATION
LAND RESOURCES
LAWS
LEGISLATION
MINING
MINING LAWS
REGULATIONS
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
REVEGETATION
SOIL CONSERVATION
SURFACE MINING
SURFACE MINING ACTS