Surface+Mining+Control+and+Reclamation+Act

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 Draft Year:1977 Amendment Year: 1990

This legislation is a national piece of legislation. The law was needed to control the water pollution caused by the coal mine drainage. There were also abandoned coal mines all over the country not being used and the land was going to waste. Nothing could grow there and nothing could live there. Also there were health problems created by the coal mines. Many people died from coal sludge spills. The law made two programs, one for regulating coal mines, and the other for coal mine reclamation. The regulation program set environmental standards that coal mines must follow. These standards include mines having to first obtain a permit to function, then posting a bond to cover the cost of reclaiming the mine site, and also mines will have inspections to make sure the rules and standards are being kept. Another regulation that the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) put in place was that no one could mine on National Parks. The Abandoned Mine Fund also was created by the SMCRA, which is a part of the coal mine reclamation program. The Abandoned Mine Fund was created to pay for the cleanup and restoration of abandoned mines. The SMCRA is enforced by the U.S. Department of Interior Office of Surface Mining. The picture on the left is a mine after it has been stripped of its resources. The picture in the middle is of a reclaimed mine, because the government will reclaim the abandoned mines. The picture on the right is of a reclaimed mine site that is being restored to its original state.

"SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT: Summary from Federal Wildlife Laws Handbook." //Center for Wildlife Law//. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .

Kenney, Robyn. "Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, United States." //Encyclopedia of Earth//. 15 Nov. 2007. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .