OSM NEWS
U. S. Department of the Interior
Office of Surface Mining

                                    Jerry Childress (202) 208-2719
December 17, 1999                   jchildre@osmre.gov


         OSM FINALIZES COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH INDIANA
    TO REGULATE SURFACE MINING & RECLAMATION ON FEDERAL LANDS

     The Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement (OSM) today finalized a cooperative agreement between the
Department of the Interior and the State of Indiana for the regulation and
reclamation of surface and underground coal mining operations on federal lands
in the state.

     The agreement was published in the Federal Register of December 17,
1999.

     OSM officials said that the agreement provides Indiana full regulatory
and reclamation authority over coal mining on federal lands in Indiana, as
provided for in the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977
(SMCRA).   The agreement designates the Natural Resource Commission (NRC) and
the Division of Reclamation (DOR) of the Indiana Department of Natural
Resources to administer the program, to include permit application and review,
enforcement, bonding, and inspections.  Those agencies already carry out
similar functions on all non-federal land in Indiana.

     The agreement calls for OSM to pay 100 percent of Indiana's costs for
regulating coal mining and reclamation on federal lands.  OSM pays 50 percent
of state costs for Indiana's existing Interior-approved regulatory program
covering coal mining and reclamation on non-federal lands.

     Requests for additional information or copies of the agreement should be
directed to Andrew R. Gilmore, Director, OSM Indianapolis Field Office,
Minton-Capehart Federal Building, 575 N. Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis,
Indiana 46204-1521 telephone (317) 226-6700, or downloaded from OSM's 
web site at www.osmre.gov/coopin.txt.
                                 
                              -OSM-