• HOME
• DIVISIONS
  • Applicant Violator System Office (AVSO)
  • Federal Reclamation Program Division (FRPD)
  • Anthracite Team
  • Appalachia Team
  • Contracting Team
  • Pittsburgh Team
  • Pittsburgh Field Division (PFD)
    • Columbus Area Office
    • Johnstown Area Office
    • Harrisburg Area Office
  • Technical Support Division (TSD)
    • State and Federal Programs Branch (SFPB)
    • Ecological Services and Technology Transfer Branch (ESTTB)
    • Technology Services Branch (TSB)
    • Water and Engineering Services Branch (WESB)
    • National Mine Map Repository (NMMR)
• FIELD OFFICES
  • Charleston Field Office (CHFO)
  • Knoxville Field Office (KFO)
  • Lexington Field Office (LFO)
• NEWS
• OVERSIGHT
• TECH SERVICES
  • Hydrology
  • Blasting

Technical Support Division (TSD)

The Technical Support Division (TSD) is a group of scientists, engineers, and regulatory program experts helping OSM headquarters, the States and OSM Field Offices in our Appalachian region implement the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). TSD staff performs a wide variety of technical and program support in the following areas:

• Review of states’ law and regulation changes for consistency with SMCRA
• Technical assistance to determine mining relatedness of problems such as damage to property, infrastructure, or environmental resources
• Expert witnesses in SMCRA enforcement and regulatory challenge cases
• Technical Innovation and Professional Services, OSM’s “TIPS” system of computer, technical software and the latest field technologies
• Provide instructors for specialized courses, OSM’s TIPS and National Technical Training Programs
• Review of state appeals on “Ten-Day Notice” decisions
• Review of appeals of field office decisions on citizen complaints
• Participate in development of OSM guidance, policy, and rule making
• Coordinate with other state and federal agencies on related environmental programs (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency, Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, Mine Safety and Health Administration, etc.)
• Technology transfer of technical and program information
• Special studies involving particular mining issues (e.g., mountaintop mining, acid mine drainage, underground mine flooding, etc.) and OSM “oversight” efforts

The Technical Support Division is made up of:

• Ecological Services and Technology Transfer Branch (ESTTB)
• State and Federal Programs Branch (SFPB)
• Technology Services Branch (TSB)
• National Mine Map Repository (NMMR)
• Water and Engineering Services Branch (WESB)

AML and Regulatory Program Contacts | Oversight Reports | Search AR Site | Glossary | AR Site Index | Employee Directory