U.S. Department of the Interior
Office of Surface Mining
For Immediate Release:  
July 24, 2002				Contact: John Wright   (202) 208-6416
						 Joan Moody   (202) 208-3280
						 Jerry Childress (202) 208-7941
						 TTY (202) 208-2694

MEDIA ADVISORY

OSM TO COMMEMORATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY
OF SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT

The Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining (OSM) will commemorate the 25th 
anniversary of the signing of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) 
during ceremonies at the South Interior Building in Washington D.C. on August 1, 2002.  

On August 3, 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed the Surface Mining Control and 
Reclamation Act -- the first federal law to regulate the environmental effects of strip 
mining and to require the reclamation of land and water damaged by coal mining. The act 
also created a fund to correct health and safety problems through reclamation of 
abandoned mines. 

Since SMCRA was enacted, more than 180,000 acres of pre-1977 abandoned mine lands 
have been restored to productive use, over 493 miles of acid mine drainage polluted 
streams have been reclaimed, and over 2.5 million linear feet of dangerous cliff-like high 
walls have been eliminated.  

A regional airport in Kentucky -- baseball fields, a golf course and an industrial park in 
West Virginia -- prime farmland in Illinois -- are all examples of post mining land 
development that are in use benefiting people across the nation because of SMCRA. 

Who:   The Office of Surface Mining  

What:  25th Anniversary Commemoration of the signing of 
	The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

When:  Thursday, August 1, 2002
	10:00 a.m. (EDT)
		
Where:  South Interior Building
	1951 Constitution Ave. N.W.
	Washington, D.C.  (Please enter through rear entrance)

IF YOU NEED REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT, 
YOU SHOULD CONTACT JERRY CHILDRESS IMMEDIATELY AT:
2O2-208-7941
TTY:  202-208-2694