The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) prohibits surface coal mining within the boundaries of any unit of the National Park System . SMCRA also provides the NPS with authority over permitting decisions regarding external surface coal mining.
What steps are required for mining reclamation to occur?
Reclamation includes the following steps: contouring of land; placement of topsoil or an approved substitute on the graded area ; reseeding with native vegetation, crops and/or trees; and years of careful monitoring to assure success.
What led to the surface mining Control and Reclamation Act?
Congress passed the SMCRA, which was signed by President Jimmy Carter, to “assure that the coal supply essential to the Nation’s energy requirements, and to its economic and social well-being, is provided and to strike a balance between protection of the environment and agricultural productivity and the Nation’s need ...
What agency enforces the surface mining Control and Reclamation Act?
This Act establishes a program for the regulation of surface mining activities and the reclamation of coal-mined lands, under the administration of the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement, in the Department of the Interior .
What are the 3 techniques used for surface mining?
Surface mining, method of extracting minerals near the surface of the Earth. The three most common types of surface mining are open-pit mining, strip mining, and quarrying .
Who is responsible for strip mining?
Title V of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
Most coal-mining States now have the primary responsibility to regulate surface coal mining on lands within their jurisdiction, with OSMRE performing an oversight role.
Is the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act successful?
This is the true success of SMCRA. About 29.5 billion tons of coal have been mined while SMCRA has been in place. Most of that, about 90 percent, was used to generate electrical power. During this same time, the coal mining industry has successfully reclaimed more than 2 million acres (2,238,560) of mined lands.
What is the first step in surface mining?
The first step in surface coal mining is. To remove and set aside the soil that covers the area to be mined.
What is reclamation plan?
Reclamation of land is carried out by landscaping or site preparation , soil. amelioration and re-vegetation. A Mining Plan includes the reclamation plan specifying. the details of various reclamation activities. It is worthwhile to take up the reclamation.
What is the goal of mine reclamation?
Mine reclamation entails restoring these disturbed areas to a previous natural resource setting , such as forest or agricultural land uses, while minimizing environmental impacts.
What are the effects of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977?
The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) is the primary federal law that regulates the environmental effects of coal mining in the United States . SMCRA created two programs: one for regulating active coal mines and a second for reclaiming abandoned mine lands.
What are the four major types of surface mining?
There are five recognized types of surface mining, each with specific variations depending on the minerals being extracted. These include strip mining, open-pit mining, mountaintop removal, dredging and highwall mining .
Why must a mining company reclaim a mine?
It ensures that coal mining operations are conducted in an environmentally responsible manner and that the land is adequately reclaimed during and following the mining process.
Is surface or subsurface mining worse?
Subsurface mining is actually less disruptive to the earth and produces less waste than surface mining, but it’s also much less effective and more dangerous . Many workers die in mine collapses, which then also leaves behind a large hole from caving in of the ground above.
What are the 4 types of mining?
There are four main mining methods: underground, open surface (pit), placer, and in-situ mining . Underground mines are more expensive and are often used to reach deeper deposits.
What is the most common method of mining?
Open-pit is one of the most common mining methods used and starts from the earth’s surface, maintaining exposure to the surface throughout the extraction period.
