Coal: Government Programs and Tribal Incentives

Existing government programs and tribal incentives relevant to coal mining, with links to appropriate Web sites that describe these programs in detail.

DOI Division of Energy and Mineral Development

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Division of Energy and Minerals Development (DEMD), provides engineering support, economic advice, and technical assistance to Indian landowners seeking to manage and develop their energy and mineral resources. This includes supporting tribes in developing effective energy and mineral development strategies, assisting tribes during Indian Mineral Development Act negotiations, providing technical data and interpretations for exploration and development of resources, and managing and maintaining existing Indian energy and mineral data. For more information and assistance, contact the DEMD at (303) 969-5270, review the DEMD summary, or visit the DEMD Web site.

DOI Indian Lands Program

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's Indian Lands Program is responsible for reviewing all applications for mining on Indian lands in the Western U.S., inspecting mines for environmental protection and public safety, and ensuring that mining operations are fully reclaimed prior to the lands being returned to tribes.

DOE Tribal Energy Program

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Tribal Energy Program promotes tribal energy sufficiency and economic growth by providing financial, technical, and educational assistance to tribes for the evaluation and development of renewable energy resources. Although the emphasis of the program is on renewable resources, the Web site includes a guide to assessing a range of energy resources and provides mineral resource reports for tribal lands in several western states.

The American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO)

The American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO) coordinates the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-wide effort to strengthen public health and environmental protection in Indian country, with a special emphasis on helping tribes administer their own environmental programs.