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Rural Abandoned Mine ProgramThe Rural Abandoned Mine Program (RAMP) is authorized by Section 406 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977 as amended by the "Abandoned Mine Reclamation Act of 1991" as subtitled under the Budget Reconciliation Act (Public Law 101-508; 30 U.S.C. 1236). It is authorized for the purpose of reclaiming the soil and water resources of rural lands adversely affected by past coal mining practices. There were approximately 1.1 million acres of abandoned coal-mined land needing reclamation in 1977. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formally the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) administers the program, and funding is provided from money deposited in the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund. The program provides technical and financial assistance to land users who voluntarily enter into 5- to 10-year contracts for reclamation of up to 320 acres of eligible abandoned coal-mined lands and waters. The land user with NRCS technical assistance involved prepares a reclamation plan. All active coal mining operators pay into the Abandoned Mine Reclamation fund at a rate of 35 cents per ton of coal produced from surface mining and 15 cents per ton of coal produced by underground mining. The fees are deposited in the interest-bearing fund, which is used to pay reclamation costs of AML projects. Expenditures from the fund are authorized through the regular congressional budgetary and appropriation's process. RAMP OverviewRAMP was established to protect people and the environment from pre-1977 coal mining activities. Some of the key benefits of RAMP are as follows:
Additional Information
Program ContactDave Mason, National Program Manager, 202-720-1873 |
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