1. SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT OF 1977 MEERA KOTA-PERIOD 3

2. SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT OF 1977  President Carter signed the act into law on August 3, 1977  It is a National Act  Grew out of the concern for the detrimental affects of strip mining

3. FUNCTION OF ACT/ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES  It regulates the environmental affects of coal mining in the United States  SMCRA has two programs  One which regulates active coal mines. These regulations include:  Standards of Performance  Obtaining a permit  Having a bond which will pay for reclamation  Have frequent inspections and enforce laws  Prohibits mining on certain federally protected land

4. CONT.  The other part regulates the reclamation of abandoned mines  The Abandoned Mine Land(AML) fund was created to pay for the cleanup of mine lands before 1977  It was amended in 1990 to allow the fund to pay for reclamation of mines abandoned after1977  The fund is paid for by tax dollars  The act is enforced by the Secretary of the Interior and States