Fiscal Year 2002 Budget Request

For FY 2002, the Office of Surface Mining is requesting $268,958,000 and 637 full-time equivalent positions. This represents a decrease of $46.5 million from the FY 2001 enacted level

The Office of Surface Mining's overall FY 2002 request includes $102.2 million for the Regulation and Technology appropriation and $166.8 million for the Abandoned Mine Land fund appropriation. This request represents an increase of $1.3 million for the Regulation and Technology program and a decrease of $47.8 million for the Abandoned Mine Land program, thus accounting for a total decrease of $46.5 million from FY 2001.

The FY 2002 Regulation and Technology request will enable the Office of Surface Mining to provide sufficient financial support for the 24 State regulatory programs. The Office of Surface Mining has maintained regulatory funding at the FY 2001 enacted level of $55.6 million for the states to assure that they have adequate resources to oversee current mining operations within their borders. State regulatory funding was increased by over $5 million during FY 2000 and FY 2001.

The Office of Surface Mining's Regulation and Technology request includes a $0.1 million increase to partially fund the external audit of the Office of Surface Mining's financial statement. It provides $1.466 million for uncontrollable costs increases. To offset this increase, the Office of Surface Mining will absorb $0.344 million in uncontrollable costs and recognize a reduction of $0.245 million for program efficiencies.

The Office of Surface Mining's total Abandoned Mine Land request for state reclamation grant funding will be $124.1 million. However, the Office of Surface Mining is continuing its funding support for the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative at the FY 2001 level of $10 million.

The Office of Surface Mining's Abandoned Mine Land request includes a $0.5 million increase for both fee compliance activities and for technology transfer activities. It provides $0.099 million to partially fund the external audit of the Office of Surface Mining's financial statement. This budget proposal includes a $47.572 million reduction for state reclamation grants, including $12.572 million to reflect the termination of one-time FY 2001 funding specifically earmarked for the State of Pennsylvania.. The proposal will reduce federal high priority projects by $1.3 million and Office of Surface Mining's reclamation operations activities by $0.5 million. It provides $0.784 million for uncontrollable costs increases. To offset this increase, the Office of Surface Mining will absorb $0.187 million in uncontrollable costs and will recognize a reduction of $0.293 million for program efficiencies.

Regulation & Technology	FY 2001 Enacted	FY 2002 Proposed	Change
Environmental Restoration*	431	435	4
Environmental Protection*	76,274	76,741	467
Technology Development and Transfer	11,820	12,151	331
Financial Management	536	477	(59)
Executive Direction	11,793	12,371	578
Total Appropriation	100,854	102,175	1,321

*Environmental Restoration includes activities that result in reclamation of abandoned mine problems and Environmental Protection includes activities that regulate active coal mining.