June 8, 2005
For immediate release | Contact: Tom Geoghegan
(202) 208-2838
tgeoghegan@osmre.gov |
DOI Assistant Secretary Rebecca Watson will Present Keynote Speech at National Wildlife Summit on Reclaiming Mined Land for Fish and Wildlife
(Washington DC) Rebecca W. Watson, Assistant Secretary of Interior for Land and Minerals
Management will present the keynote luncheon speech at the Office of Surface Mining sponsored meeting on reclaiming coal mined land for fish and wildlife.
The meeting is scheduled June 22-23 in Louisville, Kentucky.
OSM Director Jeffrey Jarrett will open the conference and frame the agenda with a welcoming speech titled "Reclaim the Future" on regulatory and technical considerations in reforestation, re-vegetation and water supply needed to support wildlife. The agenda includes presentations by senior corporate executives, academic experts and representatives of state government and user groups such as AWCP, an alliance of wildlife conservationist and sporting groups.
Assistant Secretary Watson has described this meeting in an invitation to the department's stakeholders and to government or corporate leaders as bringing …"a number of parties together to explore methods for increasing the amount and quality of fish and wildlife habitat on reclaimed coal mined land."
She also noted that "The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977(SMCRA) provides for the reclamation of environmental hazards at old abandoned coal mined lands as well as reclamation of currently mined land. While there are many different post mining land uses that would comply with SMCRA, a number of our stakeholders have expressed a strong desire to see more fish and wildlife habitat created on reclaimed mine lands.
"Recognizing that these land-use decisions are a local matter between the coal company and the land owner, our goal is to facilitate an exchange of information leading to better and more informed decisions. The summit promises to explore a wide range of pertinent issues related to establishing fish and wildlife habitat. "
"A Steering Committee comprised of OSM, state and federal agencies, and wildlife groups such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has worked over the last several months to put together a comprehensive and dynamic program."
Copies of the agenda, a brochure and a downloadable registration form are at www.osmre.gov
-OSM-
|
