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KANSAS
Tulsa Field Office
- STATE OVERVIEW
- OVERSIGHT
Coal Production
Coal reserves in Kansas underlie an area of about 18,000 square miles or 23 percent of the State. The demonstrated coal reserve is estimated to be 0.977 billion tons which is 0.2 percent of the nation's reserves. Kansas coal varies from lignite in north central Kansas to highly volatile bituminous in southeastern Kansas. The average number of tons of overburden stripped to each ton of coal recovered is about 13:1. Coal seams in Kansas are usually one to three feet thick. Only the bituminous coal of southeastern Kansas is currently being mined and is primarily used for electricity generation. Since peaking at seven million tons in 1917, coal production in Kansas has steadily declined. Kansas mines produced 428,901 tons of coal in 2008, all from surface operations.
Regulation
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Surface Mining Section (SMS), was established in 1969 by the Mined-Land Conservation and Reclamation Act. The Kansas program under SCMRA was fully approved by OSM in 1981.
Murray Balk, Chief of the Surface Mining Section of the Department of Health & Environment, has responsibility for SMCRA activities related to active coal mining in the State of Kansas.
Reclamation
Murray Balk, Chief of the Surface Mining Section of the Department of Health & Environment, has responsibility for SMCRA activities related to abandoned coal mines in the State of Kansas.
Kansas has an active abandoned mine land emergency program which addresses AML features located in residential or commercial areas and along public roads. Kansas also addresses hazards related to subsidence features and vertical openings left by underground extraction of lead and zinc ores.
Grants
Kansas 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 Tulsa Field Office and a copy of the grant file will be made available. The copy may be requested in paper or electronic format.
More Information
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:
Tulsa Field Office Director |
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