For Release February 27, 1998                Jerry Childress (202) 208-2719
                                        jchildre@osmre.gov

                 OSM DIRECTOR KEYNOTE SPEAKER 
              FOR PRIME FARMLAND FORUM MARCH 3-4  

     Kathy Karpan, Director of the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining
(OSM), will be the keynote speaker at the Prime Farmland Interactive Forum to be held
at the University of Southern Indiana (USI) in Evansville, March 3-4, 1998.
 
     The two-day forum, co-sponsored by USI, Southern Illinois University, state
regulatory agencies, industry and citizen groups, is intended to provide an organized
format for discussion of issues concerning prime farmland restoration following both
surface and underground coal mining operations. 

     "This forum is the product of the efforts of 24 experts working as a team over the
last 2 years to address the successes, trends, continuing problems, and possible
directions for the future following 20 years of experience in the field," Karpan said.

     According to Karpan, the forum will include summary talks by 23 speakers on the
four major categories of state prime farmland programs:  reclamation and soil
reconstruction, mine soil management, stewardship, and subsidence.  Karpan added
that participation by all who attend is an integral part of the forum.  Discussions
between the participants and speakers will be recorded and made a part of a post-forum proceedings publication.

     The planning committee for the forum includes representatives from the Black
Beauty Coal Co., the Citizen's Organizing Project, the Illinois Department of Agriculture,
the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Office of Mines and Minerals, the Indiana Division
of Reclamation, Peabody Coal Co., Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Texas A
& M University, Texas Utilities, the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, the
University of Kentucky at Lexington, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service.

     "In enacting the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA),
Congress recognized the importance of preserving the 43.4 million acres of prime
farmland underlain by economically recoverable coal reserves in the nation," Karpan
noted.  "They did so by making specific provisions for special care and restoration of 
those lands during and after mining.  SMCRA represents the first time in the history of
the nation that a specific economic activity   coal mining   could take place only when
there is no net loss of prime farmland acreage or productive capacity."

     "In the 20 years since the passage of SMCRA, we have seen dramatic changes
in both the coal mining industry in the prime farmland states and in the methods used to
protect prime farmland," Karpan said.  "Coal production has been significantly reduced
in many prime farmland states.  In some of them, coal production is rapidly shifting from
surface mining to underground mining methods, resulting in greater impacts to
agricultural lands from subsidence." 

     Karpan pointed out that both before and after the passage of SMCRA, the
restoration of prime farmland soils has been one of the most heavily researched issues
related to surface coal mining.  "Volumes of new information have been produced
showing the relationships of crop production to all aspects of surface coal mining and
reclamation, and specialized equipment and techniques have been invented to ensure
successful restoration and management of those lands."

     For information about registration visit the OSM home page (www.osmre.gov), or
contact Kimery Vories at (618) 463-6463 ext. 103, e-mail: kvories@osmre.gov.

                              -DOI-