Surface Mining

Difficulties in Reclaiming Mined Lands in Pennsylvania and West Virginia Gao ID: RCED-86-221 September 22, 1986

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reported on the bonding systems for reclamation of strip-mined land in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

GAO found that: (1) unreclaimed acreage exists in both states, posing risks to the health and safety of the public and environment; (2) the interim program bond amounts in Pennsylvania and, to a lesser extent, in West Virginia, have not been adequate to reclaim all interim program lands; and (3) the Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) has not formally assessed the adequacy of the permanent program bonding systems in either state or the impact of using reclamation funds for program administration on the ability of the states to reclaim their bond forfeiture lands.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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