NEWS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary Contact: John Wright 202/208-6416 For Release: Embargoed until October 10, 2000 Richard Fiesta 202/ 208-2921 Secretary Babbitt Announces Winners of Excellence in Surface Mining Reclamation Awards Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today announced that coal mine operators in Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia are winners of this year's Excellence in Surface Mining Reclamation Awards. "The winners of this year's competition have done a remarkable job in setting high standards for restoring mined lands for productive use," said Babbitt. "We take pride in their commitment to reclaiming the land and protecting the environment." The awards are sponsored each year by Interior's Office of Surface Mining (OSM), the agency responsible for regulating the environmental impacts of coal production. Nominations from coal mine operators were first screened by state coal mining regulatory agencies and OSM Field Offices, which forwarded state-level winners to OSM Headquarters for final judging. The final judging was completed by a panel of experts from OSM and other Interior Department bureaus. Acting OSM Director Kathrine L. Henry will present the year 2000 awards at the National Mining Association's annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 10, 2000. "These projects are examples of the coal industry working with regulators to implement a law that benefits everyone in the nation. They set the standards for the future, and help preserve and enhance the quality of life in the nation's coalfields," Henry said. Director's Award: Peabody Coal Company, Western Kentucky Mine Operations, won the prestigious OSM Director's Award for 2000. The focus of the Director's Award changes each year; for 2000, it was for exemplary reforestation on reclaimed coal mine land. Peabody's tree planting efforts at coal mine sites in Western Kentucky began voluntarily in 1948, long before reclamation was required, and continue today. Its pioneering planting techniques on surface mined-lands are now used throughout the country. Company foresters and soil scientists recognized the long-term environmental and economic benefits of forest lands. Reforestation goals were established that resulted in large continuous tracks of forest and wildlife areas. Today, these reclaimed lands provide multiple benefits, including recreation, soil conservation, timber production, and wildlife conservation. National Awards: Seneca Coal Company, Seneca II Mine, Hayden, Colorado, for its outstanding reclamation efforts in an arid environment, which reclaimed over 1,800 acres at the site during the mine's 30-year life. The company has concentrated on reestablishing native vegetation, including grasses, forbs, and shrubs. About 200 cattle have grazed on the reclaimed rangeland each summer. The wildlife habitat is also enhanced. Deer and elk graze on the native grassland. Marmots and other rodents live in constructed rock-piles, and sharp-tailed grouse mating grounds have been established. Stone Mining Company, Grants Branch Lake, McVeigh, Kentucky, for reclaiming a large coal slurry impoundment into a county park which includes a 21-acre lake with 6,200 feet of shoreline. Stocked with more than 10,000 fish, it is a serene, peaceful setting complete with paved roads, parking, and picnic areas. When final bond is released, the land will be transferred to the county as a permanent public recreation area. TXU, Big Brown, Monticello, Thermo, Martin Lake, and Oak Hill Mines, in Eastern Texas, for its extensive, on going reforestation efforts on about 72 percent of reclaimed mine land at the sites. Since the early 1970's, over 15 million trees have been planted. About half of the area is developed as wildlife habitat with 34 species of trees. Seedling survival rates are high and the established stands are sustaining growth as good as, or better than pre-mine forests. The project also enhances watershed protection, air quality, recreation, and aesthetics. Amerikohl Mining, INC., Leon Mine, Laurelville, Pennsylvania, for mining and reclaiming a partially mined site that was discharging acidic water containing large amounts of metals. Today, the site has been reclaimed into a pasture and forest area which the owner can develop into home sites after the bonds are released. Amerikohl took a bad situation and turned it into exemplary reclamation. Black Beauty Coal Company and Vigo Coal Company, Columbia Mine, Oakland City, Indiana, for reclamation that created some of the best reforestation and wildlife habitat to be found on reclaimed coal mine lands. The companies consistently replaced soil to depths of 4-5 feet at the site, although only 12 inches were required. Mining and reclamation occurred within 100 feet of an adjacent wetland, without any adverse impact. Rosebud Mining Company, McCollough Mine, Karns City, Pennsylvania, for remining and reclaiming the 44-acre mine site containing abandoned spoil banks, dangerous highwalls, water- filled pits, an abandoned underground mine, and a large illegal domestic dump. Today, it is difficult to see any traces of these hazards or the recent coal mining. It is impossible to identify the line between unmined land and reclaimed mine land. The entire 44 acres appear as productive as the adjacent unmined area. Drummond Company, Inc., Arkadelphia 5761 Mine, Arkadelphia, Alabama, for exemplary reclamation at this mine site which now produces hay, seed, and timber crops. Forestry is an extremely important industry in the economy of this part of Alabama, and Drummond has now planted over 600 acres of developing young forest. Professional foresters have estimated the growth potential of these pines is greater than that of the unmined surrounding area. Peabody Coal Company, Ken Surface Mine, Ohio County, Kentucky, for reclaiming a site which had been mined for over 50 years, to award winning standards. Substantial amounts of native and Western grasses were used, over 200,000 trees and shrubs were planted, and 12 permanent impoundments were reclaimed. Water quality problems associated with years of mining have been cleaned up, and the area is used for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. Big Sky Coal Company, Big Sky Mine, Rosebud County, Montana, for exemplary reclamation which has returned the former mine site to a livestock grazing area. Vegetation monitoring shows the levels of cover and production to be equal to or better than native vegetation adjacent to the site. During the spring, approximately 200 cow-calf pairs use the reclaimed grazing land. Virginia Energy Company, Twin Star Mine #2, Hurley, Virginia, for reclaiming over 8,000 feet of hazardous abandoned mine highwalls and outslopes into productive hay and pasture land. As the amount of coal to be mined in Virginia decreases, mining operations like Virginia Energy have demonstrated that previously mined lands can be remined, the environment improved, and productive land created. The OSM Excellence in Surface Mining Reclamation awards program began in 1986 to publicly recognize outstanding active coal mine reclamation and publicize exemplary reclamation techniques. A brochure announcing the year 2001 program, with complete details about how to nominate a project is available from State regulatory agencies, OSM Headquarters, Regional and Field Offices, and from the OSM homepage at www.osmre.gov/awards.htm. - DOI -