OSMRE Honors Five States for Exemplary Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation

WASHINGTON - The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards. These projects represent the nation's highest achievements in abandoned mine land reclamation and demonstrate outstanding results in restoring previously mined lands. The awardees have helped to protect the public through the elimination of public safety and environmental hazards and bolstered local economies by creating new recreation opportunities and protecting local treasures.

Established in 1992, the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards recognize exemplary state and Tribal reclamation projects that reclaim coal mine sites abandoned prior to the enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

"The Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards honor the best examples of AML reclamation in our nation," said OSMRE Principal Deputy Director Sharon Buccino. "Our State and Tribal partners work hard to remove health hazards and reclaim former coal mines. These reclamation projects showcase innovation, community collaboration, and how reclaiming legacy coal mining problems builds a better future for former coal communities."

Reclamation Awards

The Alabama Department of Labor Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program is the recipient of the National Award which recognizes the highest-rated reclamation project. The Piper Mine Reclamation Project, located near the historic coal community of West Blocton, eliminated public safety hazards by reclaiming the dangerous abandoned mine land features that remained from legacy coal mining in the early 1900s. Two dangerous highwall segments 4,830 feet long and 80 feet high, six acres of gob area, 59 acres of spoil material, three impoundments covering 1.1 acres, a mine portal, and three acres of mine slump were all mitigated. The community can now enjoy expanded access to the refuge and enhanced recreational amenities. The project included construction and installation of a 10-acre pond, a canoe launch ramp, gravel roads, parking areas, new trails, improvements to existing trails, and interpretive and informational signage.

The New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division, Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Program is the recipient of the Small Project Award, which recognizes a project costing less than $1 million in a state receiving less than $6 million in annual AML funds. The Tin Pan Canyon Gob Reclamation Project, located in Raton, addressed erosion and run-off from two gob piles containing waste left over from coal mining that was impacting a nearby road and stream. To address these impacts and stabilize the road, a rock chute was constructed in the drainage channel. To reduce erosion from the gob piles, straw-bale terraces were installed, and accompanying seedlings were planted that will eventually reach a vegetated hillside. By removing these health and safety hazards, the community will enjoy improved water quality, enhanced landscaping, and safe recreational opportunities in the area.

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation is the recipient of the Appalachian States Award, which recognizes the best project in that region. The Penn Hills Township project, located in Allegheny County, remediated dangerous conditions that affected 11 residences, with acid mine drainage saturating backyards and seeping into basements, while putting the homes at risk for potential landslides. The homeowners now have safer homes with dry yards, dry basements, structurally intact foundations, and increased property values. The project also addressed hazards associated with acid mine drainage flooding a well-traveled road that made driving and walking conditions treacherous for the neighborhood, and restored a dilapidated park for future recreation opportunities.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is the recipient of the Interior States Award, which recognizes the best project in that region. On multiple occasions, first responders have been called to Lynnville Park to provide emergency care to adventure seekers jumping into an adjacent lake from a highwall left over from legacy coal mining. The project removed more than 3,200 linear feet of highwall and replaced it with a water cascade and naturalized landform, a safe swim beach, and potential for new camping sites and mountain bike trails. Increased recreational opportunities, improved quality of life, and future economic development are just a few benefits of this award-winning AML reclamation.

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Abandoned Mine Land Division is the recipient of the Western States and Tribes Award, which recognizes the best project in that region. Situated on top of the Hanna No. 3 Mine, Carbon County Road 297 (CR297) is a key alternate route used extensively by emergency personnel to deliver service to the communities of Hanna and Elmo, Wyoming. In this remote 1,800 square mile area, the nearest healthcare and grocery stores are 40 miles to the west and 70 miles to the east. Collapsing underground mine workings along CR297 cause subsidence and pose a danger to the traveling public. This project filled voids under the road with 26,672 cubic yards of void-fill grout, mitigating subsidence risk for 0.7 miles.

To learn more about these award-winning projects, please visit AML Reclamation Awards.

- OSMRE -

OSMRE carries out the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 in cooperation with states and Tribes. OSMRE's objectives are to ensure that coal mining activities are conducted in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining, to ensure that the land is restored to beneficial use after mining, and to mitigate the effects of past mining by aggressively pursuing reclamation of abandoned coal mines. For more information, visit www.osmre.gov or connect with us through any of these social media channels: Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

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