The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), Bureau of District Mining Operations, and Bureau of Mining and Reclamation, administers the Pennsylvania program that regulates coal mining activities. PADEP enforces Pennsylvania's coal mining laws and regulations to control areas disturbed during mining and to minimize any long-term adverse environmental impacts. PADEP's six statewide District Mining Offices processes applications for permits to mine coal; verifies compliance with bonding requirements; and manages permit records, databases, and permit-related information. PADEP's District Mining Offices also inspect mines, enforce the permit requirements and laws regulating mining activities, and oversee land reclamation requirements to ensure the protection of citizens, conservation of environmental resources, and restoration of lands and waters to productive uses.

PADEP's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation administers a program which eliminates health and safety hazards and reclaims lands and waters damaged by coal mining that occurred prior to passage of stricter federal reclamation laws in 1977. This includes: reclamation of underground mine openings, dangerous highwalls, mine subsidence, and clean-up of hazardous and/or polluted water impoundments, acid mine drainage, burning coal refuse, and other coal mining related problems.

Oversight Program

OSMRE, in collaboration with each state to the extent possible, develops a state-specific Performance Agreement/Evaluation Plan tailored to the unique conditions of each state program. Performance Agreements/Evaluation Plans between OSMRE and the states establish how oversight is conducted during each evaluation year. OSMRE's Pittsburgh Field Division will draft Annual Performance Agreement/Evaluation Plans with Pennsylvania for each evaluation year July 1 through June 30. We will use this page to announce Oversight Outreach Development and Review Periods as they occur.

What is Oversight?

OSMRE defines "oversight", as the "process of evaluating and assisting states [and tribes] in the administration, implementation, and maintenance of approved programs. In collaboration with each state/tribe, OSMRE develops a Performance Agreement/Evaluation Plan tailored to the unique conditions of each state/tribe program. Performance Agreements/Evaluation Plans between OSM and the states establish how oversight is conducted during each evaluation year.

Learn more about OSMRE's National Oversight Program.

Oversight Documents

To view oversight documents visit, OSMRE's REG-8 Oversight Database:

Public Participation and Outreach

OSMRE along with respective State and Tribal Programs jointly develop an Annual Performance Agreement* July 1 to June 30 to establish how oversight is conducted. We are responsive to public and industry concerns, and desire input and involvement in our oversight activities. We will use this page to announce Oversight Outreach Development and Review Periods as they occur. All of our REG-8 Oversight documents, proposed and final, can be found by searching our REG-8 Oversight Database, ODocs.

*Somes states develop "bi-annual" performance plans.