Legislative History

Congressional Records - April 22, 1977

Following is the April 22, 1977 Congressional Record. The text below is compiled from the Office of Surface Mining's COALEX data base, not an original printed document, and the reader is advised that coding or typographical errors could be present.

123 CONG.REC. H3472
April 22, 1977

Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of Committees were delivered to the Clerk for printing and reference to the proper calendar, as follows:

H3472 Mr. UDALL: Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. H.R. 2. A bill to provide for the cooperation between the Secretary of the Interior and the States with respect to the regulation of surface coal mining operations, and the acquisition and reclamation of abandoned mines, and for other purposes; with amendment (Rept.No. 95-218). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

{E2476} 2. The section represents a most enticing tidbit for bureaucratic abuse.

E2476 3. The "Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976" already contains a complete
procedure for making and reviewing mineral withdrawals on public lands. H.R. 2 would only add
contradiction and confusion.

E2476 4. There has been no testimony or evidence to support this section. In 4 years of the strip
mining battle, I have seen no public hearing discussion on this section.

E2476 5. The language represents a piecemeal patchwork attempt at both land use planning and revision of the 1872 mining law. These two subjects will be considered individually (H.R. 5806 and H.R. 5831) and in depth by the Interior Committee in a more logical and proper approach.

E2476 I hope you will join me on the floor to strike this section from the bill.

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