Regulation of coal surface mining in a Federal system

Journal Article · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Nat. Resour. J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6306184

Edgemon, T D ^[1]; Menzel, D C

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1. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh

This article examines the dynamics of intergovernmental politics associated with the implementation of the federal program for regulating the surface mining of coal in the United States. This is accomplished by defining Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) in relation to other federal environmental legislation and developing a conceptual framework for the analysis of state-federal relationships which have been established by the regulatory mechanism embodied in the act. This analysis concludes that the effectiveness of the principle of cooperative federalism as a policy-management tool is conditioned by the particular implementation strategy adopted by the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) authorized to develop and enforce the provisions of the legislation, and the relationships developed between it and state agency counterparts. The manner in which the agency defines key provisions of the act and the style used to provide incentives and invoke sanctions are critical to the evolution of a genuine partnership between state and federal units of government. 2 tables.

• OSTI ID: 6306184
• Journal Information: Nat. Resour. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Nat. Resour. J.; (United States) Vol. 21:2; ISSN NRJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294001* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
COAL MINING
COOPERATION
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
IMPLEMENTATION
INTERAGENCY COOPERATION
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION
LAWS
MINING
MINING LAWS
REGULATIONS
SURFACE MINING ACTS