It would place sensitive wilderness lands and other "areas of critical environmental concern" off limits to mining, require reclamation afterward and create a fund to clean up the law's most unattractive legacy — the estimated 500,000 abandoned mine sites that continue to leak cyanide, lead, mercury and other toxic wastes.
Open image in new window Fig. 4 Examples of lands in the Eastern USA coal mining areas left by early mining conducted when few or no laws existed to require reclamation.
The federal law governing coal surface mining in the USA requires reclamation to achieve a post-mining land use potential that is equal to or better than the pre-mining capability.
are followed by manufacturing, assembly, testing, diagnostics and operation, advertising, service, maintenance, etc.; then, disassembly and firing are scheduled, requiring reclamation and recovery, by re-cycling (material reprocessing) or re-using (part refurbishing).
Policies and initiatives that encourage land conservation or that require reclamation may drive recovery, including reclaimed mine lands (8660 ha).
The flooding destroyed timber and altered the character of the terrain, requiring expensive reclamation efforts.
One of the first United States laws requiring a reclamation bond in coal mining was Pennsylvania's Anthracite Strip Mining Law of 1947.
As the demand for coal increased and surface mining became more prevalent, new techniques and larger equipment were developed to remove greater amounts of overburden (the rock materials overlying coal seams), producing more earthen material requiring replacement, reclamation, and revegetation.
The neighbouring Star Ferry pier was demolished in December to make way for the substantial land reclamation required as part of the plan.
Even here, Ms. Hamsher argued, the footprint would be minimal, and the company is required to perform reclamation measures to compensate for its effect on surrounding land.
