Summary

In response to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's (OSMRE) efforts to implement task force recommendations to correct problems in: (1) overall management control and direction; (2) state program oversight and evaluation; (3) the Abandoned Mine Land Program; (4) direct federal regulation; and (5) automatic data processing.

GAO found that OSMRE: (1) followed 41 of the 65 recommendations; (2) completed alternative actions on eight recommendations, initiated partial actions on three recommendations, and began to implement three recommendations; (3) did not act on 10 recommendations; (4) completed one of two systems integration plans and provided state regulatory agencies with its Technical Information Processing System; and (5) established a committee to implement the task force's recommendations, but lacked a mechanism to monitor their implementation.