OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT

For Release February 22, 1995 Alan Cole (202) 208-2553

     OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RELEASES 1994 ANNUAL REPORT

Robert J. Uram, director of the Interior Department's Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), announced today that
the agency's 1994 Annual Report is available to the public.

"Although the report is required by the Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act and the Chief Financial Officers Act, it is a status
report to our constituents that's much like a corporation's annual
report to its stockholders," Uram said.

The annual report is an integral part of OSM's new communications
objective: open dialog and an improved flow of information to all
those interested in the implementation of the surface mining law. "For
the first time in the history of the agency, we are providing detailed
programmatic and financial statistics to the public," Uram
stressed. Also included are regulatory and abandoned mine land
reclamation activities in all state programs and complete accounting
for funds used to implement the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation
Act. "I am especially proud that the Inspector General has again found
OSM's financial statements to be true and accurate by rendering an
unqualified audit opinion. Fiscal year 1994 marks the fourth
consecutive year that OSM has received a clean audit opinion," Uram
added.

Although the 1994 report uses a completely new format, year-to-year
comparison of statistics is still possible, because the report
contains tabular information provided in Office of Surface Mining
annual reports since 1987. However, additional information and the
full financial accounting now provide the reader with a more complete
picture of OSM activities.

Wider availability of the annual report this year is in response to
public demand for statistical information about on-the-ground state
and federal regulation and accomplishments of Abandoned Mine Land
reclamation.

For copies of the Office of Surface Mining's 1994 Annual Report,
please call (202) 208-2553 or write to: the Office of Communications,
Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining, Room 138, 1951
Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C. 20240.

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