1978 - First Abandoned Mine Land fees collected, all coal mining operations required to meet Initial Program standards, and Proposed Permanent Program Regulations published.

1979 - Abandoned Mine Inventory began.

1980 - First state primacy programs approved, first Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Plans approved, and first permanent program mining permit issued in Montana.

1981 - Office of Surface Mining reorganized to include Technical Centers in Pittsburgh and Denver and number of field locations reduced from 42 to 22.