INDIANA
Indianapolis Area Office
Coal Production
The Indiana coalfield covers an area of about 6,500 square miles in west-central and southwestern Indiana. It constitutes the eastern-most part of the Illinois coal basin. Twenty counties within, or partly within, the Indiana coalfield have significant bituminous coal reserves. Currently, coal is mined in ten counties. Indiana has approximately 57 billion tons of coal reserves, 18 billion tons of which are recoverable using current technology, 16 billion tons are recoverable by underground mining, and 2 billion tons are recoverable by present surface mining techniques.
Regulation
The Division of Reclamation within the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is responsible for administering Indiana's Surface Coal Mine Reclamation Act. State funding for mine regulation is derived from a fee levied on coal production. Coal operators are assessed $0.05/ton for surface and $0.03/ton for underground coal extracted. Since 2006, the Indiana's regulatory program's revenue and expenditures have been essentially flat. Maintaining adequate fees to support the mandated activities of the agency has been a concern in recent years. A distinction between Indiana and most other states is that the Indiana program receives no money from the State general fund.
Bruce Stevens of the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation, has responsibility for SMCRA activities related to active coal mining in the State of Indiana.
Reclamation
Bruce Stevens of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation, has responsibility for SMCRA activities related to abandoned coal mines in the State of Indiana.
Grants
Indiana grant reports and related documents are contained in the official grant file maintained at the:
Mid-Continent Regional Office
501 Belle Street, suite 216
Alton, IL 62002
They can be reviewed during normal business hours. Alternatively, these documents can be requested through the Alton Field Division or the Indianapolis Area Office and a copy of the grant file will be made available. The copy may be requested in paper or electronic format.
More Information
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources - Division of Reclamation
OUTREACH FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE OVERSIGHT PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT
We are soliciting comments, recommendations or suggestions for topics from citizens, environmental groups, and industry to include in our 2014 Annual or Bi-Annual Performance Agreement. Performance Agreements between OSM and the State and Tribal programs establish how oversight is conducted during each evaluation year(s). The topics should relate to the implementation of the approved Regulatory and Abandoned Mine Land Programs. Please submit your topics or requests for our consideration from March 1-30, 2013 by email or in writing to the contact at the bottom of the page. Thank you for your participation in this important process. .
Oversight Documents
To view oversight documents see ODOCS, OSM's REG-8 Oversight Database:| OSM 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, OSM develops a Performance Agreement/Evaluation Plans 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. |
For more information on OSM's oversight process see Oversight of Surface Coal Mining.
For more information please contact:
Chief (Acting), Alton Field Division |
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