Announcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement announces its finding of no significant impact and approval of a post-mining land use change from livestock grazing to industrial for a linear corridor of approximately 57 acres of federal lands at San Juan Mine, in New Mexico.

Operated by Westmoreland Mining, LLC, San Juan Mine operated as a surface coal mine from August 1973 to September 2022. Today, Westmoreland is exclusively reclaiming mined areas. 

San Juan Solar 1, LLC, a company separate from the mine, constructed a 1,100-acre solar facility as well as a continuous 345-kilovolt overhead power transmission lines through the current mine boundary to connect the solar facility to a working electrical substation owned by the Public Service Company of New Mexico. 

Modification of the post-mining land use from livestock grazing to industrial at San Juan Mine supports the Trump-Vance administration’s priority of advancing American energy independence and ensuring the responsible stewardship of the nation’s public lands and resources. 

For more information, https://www.osmre.gov/programs/regulating-active-coal-mines/federal-lands

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is making $1.6 million available through its Applied Science Program. Proposals are due by March 21. 

OSMRE’s Applied Science Program supports research projects to develop and demonstrate improved science-based technologies to address environmental and restoration topics related to the implementation of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Such efforts are needed to enhance methods to extract critical rare earths from coal waste, improve reforestation, protect prime farmland, mitigate environmental hazards, and locate underground mines in coal communities across the nation.  

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, Native American Tribal organizations, and federal, state, and local governments. Applicants may request funding up to $200,000 that is awarded through a cooperative agreement. Generally, agreements do not exceed two years from the date of award. 

For information about the notice of funding opportunity, visit Grants.gov.

For more information about the Applied Science Program, visit Applied Science | Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (osmre.gov).

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement has released the P-3232 Crimson Oak Grove Resources, LLC Federal Inspection Report and Ten-Day Notice. These documents are available in the Oversight Document Database by searching Alabama and evaluation year 2025. The documents are also directly available at: Federal Inspection Report and Ten-Day Notice.