Surface Mining Control And Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) In 1974+1975 Congress sent the bill to President Ford and he vetoed them. 1977 Congress sends more stringent version of the bill to President Carter and he signs it into law. It is a national law. It is a combination of state and federal law. States are expected to take the lead and the federal gov't just oversees. CREATED TWO PROGRAMS! SMCRA also created the Office of Surface Mining, an agency within the Department of the Interior, to promulgate regulations, to fund state regulatory and reclamation efforts, and to ensure consistency among state regulatory programs. Edvin Aleksandrov

Program #1: Regulatory Program Sets standards of performance in terms of the environment during operating and reclamation of the land. SMCRA requires that companies receive permits before they can begin mining. The permits outline all land use and standards that must be met. SMCRA requires that companies post a bond sufficient to cover any mining reclamation costs. SMCRA gives gov't officials the authority to inspect mines and ensure that the set standards are being upheld. Edvin Aleksandrov

Program #2: Reclamation Program Created a fund (Abandoned Mine Land fund, AML) for the sole purpose of cleaning up abandoned mines from before this bill was enacted. The fund is financed by a tax of 35 cents per ton for surface mined coal, 15 cents per ton for coal mined underground, and 10 cents per ton for lignite. Fund money can also be used to protect homeowners from land subsidence caused my mines. Edvin Aleksandrov