
As the coal industry declines, companies are delaying reclamation for long periods of time, putting mine cleanup at risk. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), passed in 1977, requires coal companies to obtain bonds to help ensure proper reclamation of the mine occurs. When financial or other circumstances prevent a coal company from having the resources to fully reclaim a mine, those bonds are used by the regulatory agency to complete reclamation, a process known as bond forfeiture. Download now is the time to end self-bonding…