Lieutenant Governor George Ryan (with folder) meets with various officials concerning reclamation of an
abandoned mined site. Ryan serves as Chairman of the Abandoned Mined Lands Reclamation Council.

TEN YEARS OF FEDERAL ABANDONED
MINE RECLAMATION LAW:
WHAT ITS MEANT TO ILLINOIS

by GEORGE H. RYAN, Lieutenant Governor
Chairman, Abandoned Mined Lands Reclamation Council

This August will mark the 10-year anniversary of the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act which set detailed mining and reclamation standards for coal operators. The act also established an abandoned mine land reclamation fund to finance restoration of land that had been mined and abandoned prior to passage of the law and, therefore, had no responsibility for reclamation associated with it. Here in Illinois the reclamation program is administered by the Abandoned Mined Lands Reclamation Council (AMLRC), on which I serve as Chairman.

Although federal involvement in this issue largely began just 10 years ago, at the state level it began to receive increased attention 12 years ago with the creation of the Council. The Council was designed to respond to growing concern over the state's many mining-related problems. These problems had developed primarily during the past 150 years as the population grew and the demand for coal energy increased. To meet this increasing demand, new mining techniques — including surface mining — were created. At the time, very little attention was being focused in the consequences of this technological advancement. By 1980, more than 200,000 acres of land had been disturbed, leaving behind open shafts and toxic, polluting refuse piles and spoil ridges. Other problems, including

August 1987 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 5

subsidence, gas leaks, and mine fires developed as well. Of the 200,000 disrupted acres, 20,000 were estimated to be in need of reclamation.

State funds were provided to the Council in 1976 to initiate reclamation of two mines. While great strides had been made — Illinois now had a reclamation program and limited funding — it was clear that a large-scale reclamation program would inflict an enormous burden on the state's coffers.

With passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act in 1977, a mechanism was finally in place to address mining-related problems on a larger scale. The law required active coal operators to contribute to a reclamation fund through a production tax levied at the rate of 35 cents per ton of surface-mined coal and 15 cents per ton of underground-mined coal. And, to ensure that problems did not continue to proliferate, the law required that all future mines be reclaimed by the mining company before operations ceased.

Since 1977, Illinois coal operators have contributed nearly $120 million to the reclamation fund. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act requires at least 50 percent of these funds to be provided to the Council for reclamation activities. To date, we have received nearly $69 million, or 56 percent, of the monies contributed by Illinois coal operators.

With this money, more than 5200 acres of Illinois land have been cleaned up and restored to productive use as farmland, pasture, open space, and wildlife habitat. In many cases, the Council has worked in tandem with local officials and other groups to transform hundreds of acres of abandoned mines into public parks with facilities such as ball diamonds and courts, playgrounds, picnic areas, lakes, and trails. Towns around the state, including Eldorado, Gillespie, Fairview Heights, Virden, Ottawa, Livingston, Morris, Eagerville, and DuQuoin now host state and community parks where once existed acres of polluting coal refuse and other hazards.

The benefits reaped do not end here. Through expenditure of the reclamation funds, hundreds of jobs have been created. In fact, it is estimated that every $1 million spent in reclamation monies translates into 40 jobs in areas such as construction, labor, equipment and materials procurement, and other services. And, through the program, reclamation technologies have been developed which will benefit both future abandoned mine reclamation work and the active mining industry.

Over the past 12 years, Illinois has made great strides toward addressing its mining-related problems, particularly with assistance provided under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Our progress is significant but we still have a long way to go. Join me in celebrating the first 10 years of SMCRA and in continuing our efforts to address abandoned mine problems which remain on thousands of acres across the state. •

Page 6 / Illinois Municipal Review / August 1987