Aug. 13, 2007 -- On August 3, the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) turned 30 years old. The Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program was also established to restore hazardous and polluting mine sites that were improperly reclaimed before 1977. Congress created the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) to develop a collaborative relationship between federal and state agencies to carry out the regulatory and AML programs in coal mining states and on Indian and Federal lands.

- From the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement