Welcome to our What’s New page!  Below is a chronological listing by date to help you quickly access new information that has been added to our website.  You will also find links to content that has been significantly updated to keep you abreast of what’s happening at the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

September 5, 2008

• Directive: OPM-1, Transmittal Number 930: Establishment and Maintenance of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Directives System. [more] [ 1.83 MB]
  Accessible Version [more] [ 39 KB]
  
  

August 18, 2008

• Directive: INE-32, Transmittal Number 936: Oversight Procedures for States’ Implementation of the Applicant Violator System MOU. [more] [ 196 KB]
  Accessible Version [more] [ 26 KB]
  
  
• Directive: REG-36, Transmittal Number 937: Processing of Request to Evaluate a State Program under 30 CFR 733.12(a). [more] [ 189 KB]
  Accessible Version [more] 26 KB]

August 15, 2008

• News and Stories:  Recipient of award for forestry reclamation excellence named.  Logan, WV – The Appalachian Region Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) named Appalachian Fuels, LLC recipient of its 2007 Excellence in Reforestation Regional Award here recently.
  
  This award recognizes those individuals, operators and organizations that exemplify excellence in forestry reclamation on surface coal mine sites. ARRI is a partnership of individuals and organizations, including OSM, interested in growing healthy forests on reclaimed surface coal mine sites. Winners must meet ARRI’s exacting standards to win at the state level. The best of the best is selected for this regional award.
  
  The award was present on behalf of ARRI by Brent Wahlquist, Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, to Don Cooke, Engineer, and Dave Maynard, General Manager, both from Appalachian Fuels, LLC. [more]

August 15, 2008

• News and Stories:  Technology Leads to Safer Coalfields. Jack Dangermond, President of ESRI, congratulates OSM’s Greg Morlock on the bureau’s vision and leadership in using geographic information systems (GIS) to make the Nation’s coal mines safer for the public and to help protect the environment. [more]

August 8, 2008

• OSM Significant Guidance Documents. [more]

July 29, 2008

• We’ve updated our organization information. [more]

July 1, 2008

• Directive: REG-8-1, Transmital Number 932: Oversight of State Regulatory Programs [more] [ 230 KB] 
  Accessible version [more] [ 28 KB] 

June 30, 2008

• Check out our Directives website. We’ve updated the site to allow you quicker access to the Active Directives as well as the Archival Directives. You now have direct links to blank template forms that will assist you when preparing your Directives.  [more]

June 20, 2008

• News Release: OSM Issues Proposed Rules for the Abandoned Mine Land Program [more] [ 46 KB] 
  

May 28, 2008

• News Release: Two Abandoned Mine Land Projects Are Praised [more] [ 323 KB] 
  

June 10, 2008

• Directive: TSR-16, Transmittal Number 931: Reforestation of Title IV and Title V mined lands [more] [ 323 KB] 
  Accessible version [more] [ 46 KB] 

• News Release:  OSM Issues Proposed Rules for Remining and Reclaiming Abandoned Coal Mine Refuse Sites [more] [ 44 KB] 

April 25, 2008

• News Release:  OSM Director Praises Kentucky's Award Winning System [more] [ 120 KB] 

• Directive: OPM-1, Transmittal Number 930: Establishment and Maintenance of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Directives System dated 4/9/08 is now available on our website. [more]  [ 2.25 MB]
  Accessible Version [more] [ 74 KB]

• See our news and stories  [more]

• OSM Director Lends Expertise to Botanic Garden Efforts  [more]

• 2008 Call For Nominations EXTENDED TO APRIL 30TH. [more]

• Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Justification is now available. [more]

• News Release:  FY 2009 OSM’s Budget Reflects Commitment to Maintain State and Tribal Regulatory Grants and to Implement 2006 Changes to the AML Program.  [ more]  [ 34 KB] 
  • OSM Budget in Brief  [ 1.03 MB] 

• The Regulatory Grants Distribution for Fiscal Year 2008 is now available on our website  [more]

• News Release:  Fiscal Year 2008 Abandoned Mine Land Annual Grant Distribution  [more]

• OSM Announces AML Grant Amounts Available to States and Tribes  [more]  [ 52 KB] 
  • Fact Sheet  [ 62 KB] 
  • Question and Answers  [ 22 KB] 

• News Release:   OSM Announces Decisions Needed to Distribute Funds Under the 2006 AML Legislation  [ more]  [ 51 KB] 

• Ownership and Control; Permit and Application Information; Transfer, Assignment, or Sale of Permit Rights; Final Rule  [ more]  [ 257 KB] 
  • Fact Sheet  [ 26 KB] 
  • FAQ  [ 24 KB] 
  • Final Rule  [ 257 KB] 

• View our organization:  By List  or   By Chart  [ 22 KB] 

• OSM awards recognize a wide range of accomplishments in reclaiming past mines sites.  [more]

• News Release:  OSM Expands Effort to Solicit Public Comment on the Proposed Rules for “Stream Buffer Zones” And to Limit Impacts of Valley Fills from Coal Mining  [more] [ 55 KB] 

• News Release:  State Projects Recognized by OSM for Excellence in Abandoned Mine Reclamation  [more] [ 51 KB] 

• News Release:  Coal operators recognized for outstanding reclamation  [more] [ 51 KB] 

• DRAFT Environmental Impact Study, EIS Number: OSM-EIS-34. Excess Spoil Minimization - Stream Buffer Zones is now available: [more] [ 3.75 MB] 

• Directive: REG-8, Transmittal 921: Oversight of State Regulatory Programs, dated 12/21/06 [more] [ 4.27 MB] 


• News Release: Draft Stream Buffer Zone Environmental Impact Statement Will Be Released for Public Review [more] [ 73 KB]
   
• Executive Summary: Environmental Impact Study: EIS Number: OSM-EIS-34. Excess Spoil Minimization - Stream Buffer Zones: Proposed Revisions to the Permanent Program Regulations Implementing the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 Concerning the Creation and Disposal of Excess Spoil and Coal Mine Waste and Stream Buffer Zones [more]  [ 70 KB] 

• Abandoned Mine Land Fee Reauthorization and Hypothetical Future Funding Projections [more]

• Annual Report 2006 [more]
  
  
• News Release: Risks from Abandoned Mines Reduced: OSM 2006 Annual Report Released [more] [ 80 KB] 

• Adobe Acrobat Help Page [more]

• Directive: INE-25, Transmittal Number 922: Ten-day Notices: Notice of Rescission is available online [more] [ 270 KB] 

• OSM/VISTA Watershed. Be a Volunteer. Be a Sponsor [more]

• News Release: OSM seeks public comment before drafting rules [more] [ 45 KB] 

• News Release: Tennessee Federal Program Final Rule [more] [ 154 KB] 

• Excellence in Surface Mining Reclamation Awards: 2007 Call for Nominations [more] [ 298 KB] 
• Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards: 2007 Call for Nominations [more] [ 363 KB] 

• News Release:OSM Budget Increases Funding for States and Tribal Regulatory Programs and Implements Funding Changes to the Abandoned Mine Lands Program [more] [ 38 KB]