U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Envforcement

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is a bureau within the United States Department of the Interior. OSMRE is responsible for establishing a nationwide program to protect society and the environment from the adverse effects of surface coal mining operations, under which OSMRE is charged with balancing the nation’s need for continued domestic coal production with protection of the environment.

OSMRE was created in 1977 when Congress enacted the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. OSMRE works with states and tribes to ensure that citizens and the environment are protected during coal mining and that the land is restored to beneficial use when mining is finished. OSMRE and its partners are also responsible for reclaiming and restoring lands and  water degraded by mining operations before 1977.