OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING
      RECLAMATION & ENFORCEMENT

For Release March 19, 1996       Jerry Childress (202) 208-2719
                                      jchildre@osmre.gov

                    OSM 1995 ANNUAL REPORT RELEASED

      Robert J. Uram, Director of the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), today released the agency's Fiscal Year 1995
Annual Report.

      The 48-page report, which describes OSM operations for the period October 1,
1994, through September 30, 1995 -- Fiscal Year 1995 -- combines OSM's Annual
Report to Congress with its Annual Financial Report.  This marks the second year
OSM has combined the two reports in an attempt to provide its customers a better
understanding of the agency's operations, according to Uram.  

      OSM officials said that in addition, the report takes the first steps toward
including the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act in future
annual reports.  OSM's 1996 report will include all three of the statutory requirements,
they said.

      "Building on the success of last year's annual report, the 1995 report is
presented in a format that makes it easier for the general public to use the
information it contains about SMCRA implementation, and OSM operations," Uram
said. 

      Included in the report is information about activities carried out under several
parts of SMCRA, including:  Title IV, abandoned mine reclamation; Title V, control of
the environmental impacts of surface mining; and Title VII, administrative and
miscellaneous provisions.

      Uram noted that the 1995 Annual Report contains updates to tabular data
found in OSM annual reports since 1988.  "This facilitates comparison of statistics
from year to year," he said.  "Also, to simplify use of the data presented, some of the
tables have been renumbered and others combined."

      Finance and accounting information, which is presented in a format similar to
that of a traditional corporate annual report, is contained in the financial review
section.  "The Inspector General's audit statement, which gives OSM a 'clean' audit
opinion of its financial reporting for 1995, is included at the end of the financial
section," Uram added.  "This marks the fifth year in a row OSM received a 'clean
audit', and makes us a leader in this area."

      Copies of the annual report will be distributed to the public upon request. 
Contact:  Office of Communications, Office of Surface Mining, 1951 Constitution Ave.,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, Telephone 202-208-2553, Fax 202-501-0549.

                                 -DOI-