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Sep
2
Written by:
news editor
9/2/2010 1:00 AM
9/2/10 The ODNR Division of Mineral Resources Management recognized the successful completion of a 30-year-long effort to reclaim all historic coal bond forfeiture strip mine sites in Ohio.
ODNR Commemorates 30-Year Effort To Complete Historic Mine Land Reclamation In Ohio
WASHINGTON TWP, OHIO—The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, (ODNR) Division of Mineral Resources Management recognized the successful completion of a 30-year-long effort to reclaim all historic coal bond forfeiture strip mine sites in Ohio. A commemoration ceremony was held today at a coal mine reclamation site in Lawrence County.
The 34-acre site, mined for coal by Belville Mining in the 1990s, represents one of the last forfeited unreclaimed coal mining projects to be restored by ODNR.
“By the end of the 2010 construction season, ODNR will have successfully completed reclaiming all 288 coal permits forfeited during the last 30 years,” said Sean Logan, ODNR director. “Our land has been restored, which improves the health and welfare of our citizens and enhances the economic potential of the region.”
Upon completion of the remaining sites under construction, $42.7 million from forfeited surety bonds and coal and industrial minerals severance taxes, will have been spent to reclaim 9,430 acres. An estimated 2,083 seasonal construction jobs were created during the last three decades in Ohio’s Appalachian region.
Coal forfeiture sites are areas that have been mined on or after August 3, 1977 but not reclaimed to required standards by the mine operator. As a result, the Division of Mineral Resources Management collects the forfeited bond monies from the mine operator or from the operator’s surety bond company and contracts with a third party to complete the reclamation.
Since 1972, more than 4,200 strip mining permits have been issued to coal operators in Ohio. Of the permits issued, 326 mine sites were not fully restored to regulatory standards. While surety bond companies assumed responsibility for reclaiming 38 sites, the division assumed responsibility for designing and constructing restoration measures for the remaining sites.
Because of low bond requirements and limited supplemental funding, ODNR worked with the Ohio coal industry and the federal Office of Surface Mining to pass legislation in April 2007 which assures full funding and timely reclamation of future forfeited coal permits.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at www.ohiodnr.com.
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For more information, contact:
Terry VanOfferen, ODNR Mineral Resources Management
614. 265. 1094
Heidi Hetzel-Evans, ODNR Media Relations
614. 265. 6860
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