OSMRE Presents New Mexico the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Award for the Best Small Project
WASHINGTON – The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement has awarded the 2024 Small Project Award to the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division, Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Program, for exemplary reclamation work in Colfax County. The award was presented to New Mexico by OSMRE Principal Deputy Director Sharon Buccino during the National Association of AML Programs conference in Canaan Valley, West Virginia, on Sept. 23. New Mexico previously earned the Small Project Award in 2023, and the Western Region Award in 2021 and 2017.
“The Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards honor the best examples of AML reclamation in our nation,” said OSMRE Principal Deputy Director Sharon Buccino. “Our State and Tribal partners work hard to remove health hazards and reclaim former coal communities. These awards showcase what is possible for reinvigorating former coal communities.”
Project. To reduce erosion from the
gob piles, straw-bale terraces were
installed, and accompanying seedlings
were planted that will eventually reach
a vegetated hillside. Photo courtesy
of New Mexico Mining and Minerals
Division, Abandoned Mine Land Program.
The Tin Pan Canyon Gob Reclamation Project, located in Raton, addressed erosion and run-off from two gob piles containing waste left over from coal mining that was impacting a nearby road and stream. To address these impacts and stabilize the road, a rock chute was constructed in the drainage channel. To reduce erosion from the gob piles, straw-bale terraces were installed, and accompanying seedlings were planted that will eventually reach a vegetated hillside. By removing these health and safety hazards, the community will enjoy improved water quality, enhanced landscaping, and safe recreational opportunities in the area.
“The AML team and the construction contractors did a great job working through adversity during the height of the COVID pandemic,” said Mike Tompson, manager of the New Mexico Abandoned Mine Land Program. “The ranch is happy that the drainage channel cutting through the gob piles is no longer a threat to the road, and the adjacent stream is receiving much less sediment. In our eyes, the project was a complete success.”
About the Awards
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.
Pennsylvania is one of five recipients of the 2024 Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards recognizing reclamation excellence. The national award is presented to the State or Tribe with the best overall reclamation project. The small project award is presented to the State or Tribe that receives less than $6 million annually in AML fee-based funding that has the best 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
Alabama Department of Labor, Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program
Piper Mine Reclamation Project; Cahaba River Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County, Alabama
Regional Awards
Appalachian States Award
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation
Penn Hills Project; Penn Hills Township
Interior States Award
Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Abandoned Mine Land Program
Lynnville Highwall; Lynnville, Indiana
Western States and Tribes Award
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Abandoned Mine Land Division
17.6C-Brierley, CR 297 Drilling and Grouting Project; Carbon County, Wyoming
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. For more information, visit www.osmre.gov or connect with us through any of these social media channels: Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.