Surface Mining: Interior Department Oversight of State Permitting and Bonding Activities
RCED-86-38
Published: Dec 23, 1985. Publicly Released: Jan 24, 1986.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's (OSMRE) oversight of state permitting and bonding activities, specifically whether OSMRE oversight: (1) provides adequate assurance that state permitting activities are in compliance with the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977; and (2) enables it to determine the adequacy of performance bonds established to ensure the reclamation of mined land.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should require the Director, OSMRE, to revise the draft bonding guidelines to incorporate procedures for determining the adequacy of reclamation performance bonds established by state regulatory authorities. |
OSMRE revised the bonding section of the final 1987 oversight guidance to require that, in evaluating the adequacy of the state's bonding determinations, OSMRE prepare independent estimates of direct reclamation costs using applicable methodology in the OSMRE Bond Estimating Handbook.
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Topics
LicensesPerformance bondsProgram managementState-administered programsSurface mining land reclamationMiningMiningCoal miningState programsCompliance oversight