Revegetation of Coal Mined Lands in the United States – Permitting and Success Standard Requirements at the Federal Level

The resource information needs of land use, soil handling and revegetation in the US are integral to the reclamation planning and permitting requirements of Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.  Revegetation success is but one of several factors - return to approximate original contour, maintenance of water quality - to be considered when releasing an operation from its bonded liability. Revegetation success is based on the postmining land use selected by the operator and approved by the regulatory authority. An important aspect of that approval is the establishment of revegetation success criteria used to release the mine operator from the revegetation liability established in the Act.