OSMRE Presents Iowa the Interior States Region Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Award

WASHINGTON – The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement honored the Iowa Department of Agriculture, Abandoned Mine Land Program, during the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs conference in Chicago, Sept. 25. Iowa is the recipient of the Interior States Award for exemplary reclamation work in Wapello County. 

“The Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards honor the best examples of AML reclamation in our nation,” said Bill Joseph, acting regional director for Interior Regions 3, 4, and 6. “Our state and Tribal partners work hard to remove safety hazards and reclaim former coal communities. These awards showcase what is possible in reinvigorating former coal communities.”

The Patrick AML Reclamation Project is located 6 miles southeast of Eddyville, Iowa. The project included the mitigation of 1,379 feet of highwall (steep, exposed cliffs left behind from coal mining), nearly 4 acres of clogged stream, 11 acres of dangerous piles and embankments, 15.8 acres of spoil area (coal waste), and 3 pit ponds. Reclamation of the AML site will foster more stable ecosystems in the local watersheds and waterways and improve soil health, while providing more opportunities for recreation and economic development. 

“This project is an excellent example of taking abandoned coal mine ground and turning it back into working land suitable for haying, livestock grazing or wildlife habitat. I am proud of our

talented team of conservation professionals within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Mines and Minerals Bureau who are very passionate about this important and impactful work,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “More than 120 sites over the past 40 years have been reclaimed and this work improves water quality and bolsters soil health. Thanks to our productive partnership with the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, we will continue to work with landowners and other partners to make even more progress in the years ahead on the nearly 180 sites left to reclaim.”

The Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards, established in 1992, recognize exemplary state and Tribal reclamation projects that reclaim coal mine sites abandoned prior to the signing of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. 

Iowa is one of five recipients of the 2023 Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards recognizing reclamation excellence. A National Award is presented to the state or Tribe with the best overall reclamation project. A Small Project Award is presented to the state or Tribe receiving less than $6 million annually in AML funding and completes a project costing less than $1 million. Regional awards are presented to the state or Tribe with the best project within each of the following regions: Appalachian States, Interior States, and Western States and Tribes.

Other Award-Winning Reclamation Programs

NATIONAL AWARD
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Division of Mineral Resources Management

SMALL PROJECT
New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division
Abandoned Mine Land Program

REGIONAL AWARDS

Appalachian States Award
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation

Western States and Tribes Award
Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety
Inactive Mines Program

To learn about these award-winning projects, visit AML Reclamation Awards. 

– OSMRE –

OSMRE carries out the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 in cooperation with states and Tribes. OSMRE’s objectives are to ensure that coal mining activities are conducted in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining, to ensure that the land is restored to beneficial use after mining, and to mitigate the effects of past mining by aggressively pursuing reclamation of abandoned coal mines.