For Release  March 19, 1998                  Jerry Childress (202) 208-2719
                                        jchildre@osmre.gov

       COMMENTS SOUGHT ON WATER QUALITY ISSUES RELATED TO
                  RECLAMATION THROUGH REMINING
     
     The Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining (OSM), the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), and the Interstate Mining Compact Commission (IMCC), have
released a discussion paper titled "Water Quality Issues Related to Coal Mining" for public
review and comment.

     The paper provides information on remining of abandoned coal mine lands as a way of
bringing about reclamation, consistent with the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act (SMCRA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA), with emphasis on water quality
issues.

     One of the key action items in the Clinton Administration's Clean Water Action Plan
released on February 14, 1998, includes increased efforts to clean up rivers and streams polluted
by coal mine drainage, as well as continuing to work with all affected stakeholders on this matter.

     Over the past several months OSM, EPA, and IMCC have been exploring opportunities
to encourage remining of abandoned coal mines.  According to agency officials, one of the
primary benefits of remining is the remediation of degraded streams and watersheds associated
with abandoned mines.  Remining thus both enhances the environment and saves money from the
national Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund that might otherwise be have to be spent to get the
abandoned sites cleaned up.

     Recognizing the need for broad stakeholder involvement and input on the approach
proposed in the discussion paper, OSM, EPA, and IMCC are seeking comments from the widest
possible spectrum of customers, including government agencies at all levels, the coal industry,
environmental groups, and citizens of the coalfields.

     Officials noted that some states' remining initiatives have been successful at significantly
improving water quality and restoring abandoned mine lands.  With that in mind, OSM, EPA,
and the IMCC are supporting reevaluation of  the original regulations with a view to removing
some of the present barriers to reclamation through remining, likely resulting in significant 
improvements to surface and ground water quality.  With removal of regulatory barriers,
mechanisms should be developed to minimize concerns about liability and risk in the minds of
mine operators, state and federal regulators, watershed groups, and landowners.

     To illustrate the approach EPA, OSM, and IMCC are considering, the discussion paper
provides more details on mechanisms and suggests various strategies for implementation.  Some
options under discussion are:

    Expected results achieved by Best Management Practices (BMP) could be used instead of
     numerical limits on specific chemicals.  Permits would also require monitoring and
     provide for BMP and permit revisions if expected results were not achieved.

    Ensuring that long-term water quality requirements are met, with possible short-term
     variances from water quality standards to facilitate compliance during active remining.

    Increased focus on a cumulative watershed approach, relying on total maximum daily
     loads as an appropriate basis for any more stringent CWA permit limitations for remining
     operations to achieve compliance with water quality standards.

     Present baseline data collection and monitoring requirements are seen as limiting factors
in obtaining remining permits, according to the agencies.  One proposal to encourage remining
would include revising the baseline data collection process so that mine operators' cost and time
requirements for remining permits would be similar to those for typical surface mining permits,
while preserving the potential for significant environmental improvement.

     Written comments should be submitted to IMCC by April 15, 1998.  Comments can be
mailed to IMCC at 459-B Carlisle Drive, Herndon, VA, 20170 or sent via E-Mail to
gconrad@imcc.isa.us.  For additional information telephone: Greg Conrad at  IMCC,
703-709-8654; Doug Growitz at OSM, 202-208-2634; or Dan Weese at EPA, 202-260-6809.

     Agency officials emphasized that while discussions progress about potential new
approaches, remining operations will continue to be subject to the requirements of SMCRA and
CWA.

                              -DOI-