Number: 1981-23
WHEREAS, the Congress passed a comprehensive Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act in 1977 which established environmental regulations for strip mines and gave the states the opportunity to assume jurisdiction over their reclamation programs; and
WHEREAS, this Act is a carefully designed response to the enormous environmental damage and the destruction of wildlife habitat caused by strip-mined over the past half century; and
WHEREAS, strong Federal legislation is necessary to ensure that restoration of strip-mined lands will occur in ways that prevent environmental damage resulting from erosion, toxic runoff into streams and watersheds and the loss of productive forest and agriculture land and valuable habitat; and
WHEREAS, coal production is expected to roughly double in 10 years and triple in 20 years and more than half of this will be supplied by surface-mined coal;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 26-29, 1981, in Norfolk, Virginia, hereby opposes any amendment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and/or regulations which dilute the environmental safeguards in the legislation and which relaxes mandates to restore mined areas to agricultural productivity or wildlife habitat.