Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program: Difference between revisions

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 |ProgramName=Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program
 |ProgramType=Program
-|OrgSponsor=Department of the Interior
+|OrgSponsor=Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
-|CreationLegislation=[[Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977]]
+|CreationLegislation=Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
-|Mission=To protect public health, safety, and the environment by reclaiming abandoned coal mine lands. The program focuses on mitigating hazards like open mine shafts, highwalls, and acid mine drainage.
+|Purpose=To reclaim land and water resources affected by pre-1977 coal mining, addressing public health, safety, and environmental hazards. The program aims to restore these lands for beneficial use, mitigate acid mine drainage, and close dangerous mine shafts.
 |Website=https://www.osmre.gov/programs/aml.shtm
+|ProgramStart=1977
+|InitialFunding=Funded by a fee on coal production
+|Duration=Ongoing
+|Historic=false
 }}
+'''Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program''' (AML) focuses on the reclamation of coal mines abandoned before 1977 to mitigate safety, health, and environmental hazards. It involves sealing mine openings, reclaiming land, and managing acid mine drainage, with an emphasis on restoring these areas for community and economic use.
-== Overview ==
-The '''Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program''' (AML) addresses the legacy of pre-1977 abandoned coal mines across the U.S. Its purpose is to reclaim land, making it safe and environmentally stable. Notable aspects include working with states and tribes on reclamation projects and utilizing fees from current coal production for funding.
 {{Official URL (simple)|url=https://www.osmre.gov/programs/aml.shtm}}
-== Goals ==
+==Goals==
-* Mitigate safety hazards on abandoned coal mine lands.
+* Reclaim abandoned coal mine lands for public safety and environmental health.
-* Treat and manage environmental issues like acid mine drainage.
+* Address and mitigate acid mine drainage.
-* Revitalize land for community and economic use.
+* Close off hazardous mine entries and highwalls.
-* Complete reclamation of all high priority abandoned sites.
+* Restore land for community, wildlife, or economic use.
-== Organization ==
+==Organization==
-Managed by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) within the Department of the Interior, the program operates through grants to states and tribes. Each state or tribe has an AML office that prioritizes and implements reclamation projects. Funding comes from a fee on coal production, supplemented by federal legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
+The AML Program is managed by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) under the Department of the Interior. It operates through grants to states and tribes, who prioritize and execute reclamation projects. Funding for the program comes from a fee on current coal production. The governance structure includes OSMRE setting guidelines for reclamation, while states and tribes manage the actual project implementation.
-== Impact and Outcomes ==
+The leader of the program typically holds the position of Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
-- **Achievements**: Reclaimed millions of acres, closed thousands of mine openings, and treated numerous acid mine drainage sites.
-- **Challenges**: Vast amount of work remaining with an estimated unfunded liability of over $10 billion.
-- **Unintended Consequences**: Potential for environmental disruption during reclamation if not carefully managed.
-* Sponsor:
+==Partners==
-  * Federal Agency: [[Department of the Interior]]
+* [[Department of the Interior]]
-  * Sponsoring Office: [[Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement]]
-== Background and History ==
+==History==
-Established by the [[Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977]], the AML program was created to address the environmental and safety issues left by coal mining before federal regulations. Since its inception, it has evolved to include economic revitalization aspects, especially with new funding mechanisms like those from recent infrastructure laws.
+The Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program was established with the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, in response to the legacy issues from coal mining conducted prior to federal oversight. Over time, the program has expanded to include not only safety and environmental reclamation but also economic revitalization through programs like AMLER (Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization). This reflects an evolution from purely environmental to also considering community benefits and sustainable development.
-== Funding ==
+==Funding==
-- **Budget**: Funded by a fee on coal production, with recent boosts from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
+The initial and ongoing funding for the AML Program comes from a fee levied on each ton of coal produced, which was set up by the 1977 Act. This funding mechanism has been supplemented by allocations from acts like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, providing significant boosts to address unfunded reclamation needs. There's no end date for funding as long as there are abandoned mine lands requiring reclamation.
-- **Funding Sources**: Primarily coal fees, federal appropriations.
-- **Controversies**: Debates on the sustainability of funding as coal production decreases.
-== Implementation ==
+==Implementation==
-The program follows a grant-based system where states and tribes apply for funds to carry out prioritized reclamation projects. There's no defined end date as long as there are lands needing reclamation.
+Implementation involves states and tribes applying for grants based on priority lists of reclamation projects. Projects are phased, starting with immediate safety hazards and moving towards environmental restoration and land use planning. There is no defined end date for the program due to the ongoing nature of abandoned mine land issues.
-- **Program Leader**: Various, typically State or Tribal AML Program Managers.
+==Related==
+* [[Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act]]
-== See Also ==
-* [[Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977]]
 * [[Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program]]
-== External Links ==
+==External links==
 * https://www.osmre.gov/programs/aml.shtm
 * State-specific AML websites, for example:
    * https://dep.pa.gov/Business/Land/Mining/AbandonedMineLands/Pages/default.aspx (Pennsylvania)
+* wikipedia:Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program
-wikipedia:Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program
+===Social media===
+* No specific social media for the program, but updates might be shared via broader OSMRE or Department of the Interior accounts.
-=== Social media ===
-* Not widely used by the program, but some states might have social media for their AML programs. Check individual state websites for details.
-== References ==
+==References==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Cite web |title=Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program |url=https://www.osmre.gov/programs/aml.shtm |website=Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement |access-date=}}
 [[Category:Programs and initiatives]]
+[[Category:Programs]]
 [[Category:Department of the Interior]]
+[[Category:Partnerships]]