The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Abandoned Mine Land Division (AML) recently received its Annual Evaluation Summary Report from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).
The report said: “The State administers a superior AML program in full compliance with its approved AMLR (Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation) Plan.”
In 2016, AML reclaimed approximately 158 acres of unproductive abandoned mine lands, closed 57 mine openings, reduced 8,402 linear feet of dangerous high walls, remediated 7.4 acres of underground coal mine fires, mitigated approximately 34 acres of underground mine subsidence, and removed two hazardous dilapidated buildings.
“It’s gratifying to see OSMRE, with its oversight responsibilities, recognize the tremendous work and important public benefit that the DEQ AML program and its outstanding staff provide to the State,” said Todd Parfitt, DEQ Director.
Since 1983, Wyoming reclamation activities have restored approximately 24,980 acres of degraded and unproductive abandoned mine land to beneficial use as wildlife habitat and rangeland, closed 2,452 mine openings, remediated 619,124 linear feet of dangerous highwalls, and injected approximately 479,040 cubic yards of grout in underground mine workings.