Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcem : Nominations Now Open for the Silver Anniversary of the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards

January 12, 2017	Contact:	Christopher Holmes
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Nominations Now Open for the Silver Anniversary of the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards

(Washington, D.C.) - Building on 25 years of tradition, innovation, and success, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement(OSMRE) is soliciting nominations for the2017 Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AML) Awards, which recognize outstanding state and tribal efforts to reclaim abandoned coal mines.

"We encourage every state and tribe to nominate one of their own projects or another that provided outstanding results," said OSMRE Director Joe Pizarchik. "We have a

continuing need to help protect people and the environment from the threats posed by abandoned mines. As more problems reveal themselves in the future, we will need new and innovative ways to address those threats."

OSMRE began the AML Awards in 1992 to recognize exemplary reclamation projects that reclaim sites that were mined and abandoned prior to 1977.

Today, the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards are the highest honor a reclamation program can achieve. The deadline to submit a nomination is April 24, 2017.

Previous AML Award winners have introduced or refined techniques to achieve superior results in returning mines to productive use. Recent award winning projects have featured reforestation techniques; geomorphic land restoration; and the creation of wetlands to mitigate acid mine drainage.

"The recognition of innovative reclamation projects gives everyone something to aspire to," said Pizarchik. "We also encourage all states and tribes to find new and improve ways to achieve environmentally superior reclamation that creates economic redevelopment opportunities for the people of coal country."

Read and see video featuring the most recent winners of AML Reclamation awards here.

OSMRE will present the25thAbandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards during the Annual National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs Conference in Lexington, Kentucky between September 24 and 28, 2017.

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (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 instant updates on OSMRE, follow the bureau's Twitter feed @OSMRE.