Bat Conservation and Mining Steering Committee

OSMRE chairs a multi-agency group, called Protecting Bats at Coal Mines, composed of Federal, State, and private stakeholders. This group provides a means for discussion of current topics and issues involving bats. The group holds regular conference calls. For more information contact the chair: Craig Walker at cwalker@osmre.gov.

OSMRE Sponsored Bat Conservation and Mining Technical Interactive Forum Proceedings

To date, OSMRE has cosponsored six technical interactive forums related to bat conservation and mining.

Proceedings and Reports
Protecting Bats at Coal Mines Symposium June 10, 2015
Protecting Threatened Bats at Coal Mines: A Technical Interactive Forum August 31-September 3, 2010
Indiana Bat and Coal Mining: Revised Recovery Plan Workshop No published proceedings available June 20-21, 2007
Potential Effects of Surface Mining Blast Vibration on Bats Hibernacula: Report by the State of West Virginia December 31, 2006
Indiana Bat and Coal Mining November 16-18, 2004
Bat Gate Design Forum March 4-6, 2002
Bat Conservation and Mining November 14-16, 2000

Range-wide Indiana Bat Protection and Enhancement Plan Guidelines for Surface Coal Mining Operations
Joint FWS/OSMRE/IMCC Guidance Document

On June 10, 2015 OSMRE and the American Society of Mining and Reclamation sponsored a symposium in Lexington, KY on protecting bats at coal mines.

On August 31-September 3, 2010, OSMRE sponsored A Technical Interactive Forum on Protecting Threatened Bats at Coal Mines in Charleston, WV. The first objective of the forum was to evaluate the implementation of the recently developed Range-wide Indiana Bat Protection and Enhancement Guidelines jointly developed by USFWS, IMCC and OSMRE. The second objective was investigate the implications of the outbreak of White Nose Syndrome on populations of hibernating north American bats on efforts to protect them during coal mining.

On November 16-18, 2004, OSMRE cosponsored a forum on The Indiana Bat and Coal Mining in Louisville, Kentucky. The objective was to provide information on increasing efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Federally endangered Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) and the need to better interagency coordination with State Mining Regulatory Authorities during the permitting, mining, and reclamation activities of surface coal mines that potentially impact Indiana Bat habitat.

On March 4-6, 2002, OSMRE cosponsored a forum on Bat Gate Design with the U.S. DOI Fish and Wildlife Service and BCI in Austin, Texas. The objective was to develop a manual on how to best protect important caves and underground mines used by bats through the use of gates and other bat friendly closure devices.

On November 14-16, 2000, the OSMRE and BCI cosponsored a technical interactive forum on Bat Conservation and Mining in St. Louis, Missouri. The Objective was to initiate increased cooperation between concerned State and Federal agencies and conservation groups interested in protecting bats in conjunction with mining and reclamation.

Latest Information

For the latest information on threatened and endangered bats, including summer survey guidance and development of protection and enhancement plans, go to http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/mammals/