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OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT

2010 Abandoned Mine Reclamation Awards

Nominations Due April 16, 2010

Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards

History and objectives of the program

The Surface Mining Law was enacted to ensure that land mined for coal would be restored to beneficial use as part of the mining process, and that lands abandoned without reclamation prior to the law would be reclaimed as well.

Today, abandoned mine land reclamation funded under the Surface Mining Law has eliminated thousands of dangerous health, safety, and environmental problems resulting from abandoned mine lands throughout the country.

Abandoned mines can harm the environment and endanger the lives and health of those living in the coal fields. Eliminating these problems through reclamation requires specialized skills, innovative thinking, and dedication.

To give well-earned public recognition to those responsible for the nation’s highest achievements in abandoned mine land reclamation, the Interior Department’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) began the annual Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards Program in 1992. The Program publicly recognizes outstanding abandoned mine land reclamation and publicizes exemplary reclamation techniques.

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What Projects are eligible for an award?

Abandoned Mine land projects funded wholly or in part and completed by approved state or tribal programs are eligible for an award.

This includes all types of reclamation, including coal, noncoal, high-priority, and emergency projects. Abandoned mine reclamation completed by citizen groups or other non-state/nontribal organizations are not eligible for these awards.

One project may be submitted by each state or tribal program each year. In 2009, OSM gave six awards: two national awards, one national award for small projects, and one award in each of OSM’s three regions. Any entry is eligible for the national award.


Required Information and Format

  1. A text-only cover sheet containing:
    1. Name and location of the nominated reclamation project;
    2. Name, address, phone numbers and email addresses of those submitting the nomination;
    3. Project start and completion dates and construction costs;
    4. Names of organizations responsible for the reclamation, including contractors; and
    5. Date submitted.
  2. A narrative description of the work that resulted in exemplary abandoned mine land reclamation.
    The narrative should not exceed six single-spaced pages; it should fully describe the abandoned mine problem, including background and reclamation techniques used. The text should also contain photo captions and references to maps, diagrams, or other graphics.
  3. Color photographs (including maps, diagrams, or graphics).
    The photos should show both the specific activity and the surrounding conditions. They should provide a clear understanding of the reclamation accomplishments.
  4. Format.
    Each nomination package must be submitted electronically. Packages will be posted on the web in Adobe Acrobat format; they may be submitted as one file in Acrobat (containing text and photos), or as a Word file containing text and separate files containing photographs (or graphics) in .jpg format. All nominations must include the cover photo in .jpg format in a separate file.

    Because packages will be downloaded by many people with slow computer connections, it is important to keep the file size as small as possible. Photos should be no larger than 400 pixels on the largest dimension and be at screen resolution (72 dpi).

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Judging Standards

Judging standards for the 2010 awards are as follows:

  1. Clarity and Completeness of Nomination Package (5 pts.)
  2. Difficulty of Achieving Reclamation under Existing Conditions (20 pts.)
    1. Special and unique considerations (10)
    2. On-site difficulty of the project (10)
    3. Project start and completion dates and construction costs
    4. Names of organizations responsible for the reclamation, including contractors
    5. Date submitted.
  3. On-Site Effectiveness (30 pts.)
    1. Effective/innovative use of technology (8)
    2. Landscape conforms to the natural environment (8)
    3. Elimination of significant health and safety problem (14)
  4. Funding (12 pts.)
    1. Effective use of funds (6)
    2. Leveraging – use of partners for funding or technology (6)
  5. Benefits to the Community (15 pts.)
    1. Community support for the project (5)
    2. Long-term benefits to the community (10)
  6. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (18 pts.)
    1. Exceeds the spirit and intent of SMCRA (10)
    2. Increased public awareness of SMCRA (4)
    3. Transferability to other AML projects (4)

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Eligible Voters

Judges (one ballot accepted from each of the following or their official designee):

  • AML Manager, Virginia Division of Mined Land Reclamation
  • AML Program Manager, New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division
  • AML Program Coordinator, Alaska Division of Mining
  • AML Program Specialist, OSM Lexington Field Office
  • Anthracite Team Leader, OSM Wilkes-Barre Office
  • Appalachia Team Leader, OSM Ashland Office
  • Assistant Director Restoration, Indiana Division of Reclamation
  • Chief, OSM Alton Field Division
  • Chief, OSM Denver Field Division
  • Chief, OSM Federal Reclamation Program Division
  • Chief, OSM Pittsburgh Field Division
  • Chief, Missouri AML Section Land Reclamation Program
  • Chief, Montana Abandoned Mine Reclamation Bureau
  • Chief, West Virginia Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation
  • Chief, Surface Mining and Reclamation Division, Arkansas
  • Chief, Utah Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program
  • Director, Alabama Mining and Reclamation Division
  • Director, Colorado Office of Active and Inactive Mines
  • Director, Crow Tribe AML Program
  • Director, Injection and Mining Division, DNR, Louisiana
  • Director, Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands
  • Director, Navajo Nation Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Department
  • Director, North Dakota AML Division
  • Director, Oklahoma AML Program
  • Director, Pennsylvania Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
  • Director, Texas Surface Mining and Reclamation Division
  • Environmental Specialist, OSM Pittsburgh Field Division
  • Environmental Specialist – Senior, Division of Soil Conservation, Iowa
  • Field Office Director, OSM Tulsa Field Office
  • Field Office Director, OSM Wyoming Field Office
  • Field Office Director, OSM Birmingham Field Office
  • Field Office Director, OSM Casper Field Office
  • Field Office Director, OSM Charleston Field Office
  • Field Office Director, OSM Knoxville Field Office
  • Manager, Hopi Tribe Abandoned Mine Land Program
  • Manager, Illinois Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Division
  • Manager, OSM Olympia Office
  • Mining Section Chief, Kansas Surface Mining Section
  • Natural Resources Administrator, Ohio Division of Mines and Reclamation
  • Regional Director, OSM Appalachian Region
  • Regional Director, OSM Mid-Continent Region
  • Regional Director, OSM Western Region
  • Supervisor, Maryland Abandoned Mine Lands Section
  • Director, Tennessee AML Program
  • Director, Wyoming AML Program

In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by a team of OSM and State officials.

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Organizations Eligible to Submit Nominations

  • Alabama Mining and Reclamation
  • Alaska Division of Mining
  • Arkansas Dept. Of Pollution Control and Ecology
  • Colorado Office of Active and Inactive Mines
  • Crow Tribe AML Program
  • Hopi Tribe Abandoned Mine Land Program
  • Illinois Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Division
  • Indiana Division of Reclamation
  • Iowa AML Program
  • Kansas Surface Mining Section
  • Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands
  • Louisiana Injection and Mining Division
  • Maryland Abandoned Mine Lands Section
  • Missouri AML Section Land Reclamation Program
  • Montana Abandoned Mine Reclamation Bureau
  • Navajo Nation Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Department
  • New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division
  • North Dakota AML Division
  • Ohio Division of Mines and Reclamation
  • Oklahoma AML Program
  • Pennsylvania Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
  • Tennessee Abandoned Mine Land Program
  • Texas Surface Mining and Reclamation Division
  • Utah Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program
  • Virginia Division of Mine Land Reclamation
  • West Virginia Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation
  • Wyoming AML Program

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State and tribal Abandoned Mine Land Programs must provide nominations directly to OSM Headquarters in Washington, D.C., by April 16, 2010. Nominations and questions about the awards should be e-mailed to:

Peter Mali
pmali@osmre.gov
(202) 208-2565

Cynthia Johnson
cjohnson@osmre.gov
(202) 208-2565

2010 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Awards
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