The Applicant Violator System (AVS) is a nationwide database for OSMRE’s Federal, State, Indian Land programs to store information about mine applicants, permittees, operators, application and permit records, as well as unabated or uncorrected environmental violations of SMCRA.

The primary purpose of AVS is to assist OSMRE and States in making a permit eligibility determination required under section 510(c) of SMCRA for applicants of surface coal mining permits. Section 510(c) of SMCRA prohibits issuance of a new permit to any applicant who owns or controls mining operations having unabated or uncorrected violations anywhere in the United States until those violations are abated or corrected or are in the process of being abated or corrected to the satisfaction of the agency with jurisdiction over the violation.