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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 18, 2002

Interior Department Awards Honor Best of All Past, Present Reclamation

WASHINGTON - The Director of the Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining (OSM), Jeff Jarrett, tonight presented Silver Anniversary Excellence in Surface Mining Awards to 12 coal companies that did the best restoration in the past year and the past 25 years.

An Indiana company, Solar Resources Inc., Lynnville, won the Gold Award for the best reclamation during the 25 years since passage of the Surface Mining Reclamation and Control Act, which requires the restoration of all land disturbed by mining.

And a Pennsylvania company, RFI Energy Inc., won recognition for the best of current reclamation. RFI Mine Superintendent Daniel Fescemeyer and Pit Supervisor Larry Morrison were singled out to receive the 25th Anniversary Best-of-the Best Award. The RFI restoration involved re-mining of once-minded land and was cited as reclamation as envisioned by the authors of the act.

In addition, the special recognition of Director's Awards went to a North Dakota company, Falkirk Mining Co., and an Arizona producer, Peabody Western Coal, for exemplary achievement in cultural, historical and archeological preservation, both centering on Native American concerns.

National Excellence Awards also went to other companies mining in Colorado, Louisiana, Illinois, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Director Jarrett presented the awards at a banquet jointly sponsored by OSM and the National Mining Association, which joins in the awards.

NMA President and CEO Jack N. Gerard said:

"These winning silver-anniversary restorations bring home all the reasons President Bush chose to emphasize the link between coal, technology and electric power in his national energy plan.

"They present massive and irrefutable evidence that America's coal producers can - and do - harmonize our nation's concern for the environment with our need for secure, abundant and affordable energy. And they represent the leading edge in the arts and sciences of reclamation and environmental protection during production that involves a multitude of professionals such as hydrologists, biologists, botanists and soil scientists.

"In the 25-year life of the act our nation's coal industry has restored 1.9 million acres of land to productive use, an area larger than the state of Delaware. The uses range from wildlife habitat and recreational use to croplands and pasture to school grounds, housing and commercial development. And we've delivered 23.5 billion tons of coal for electricity generation and other uses, an amount of energy equal to 9.5 million barrels of oil a day every day for a quarter-century."

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, in announcing the winners, called their reclamation a "true testament to the great strides and achievement the coal industry has made toward stewardship and protection of the environment."

Twenty-five year award winners were:

	Gold Award - Solar Sources, Inc., Sky-Point Mine, Lynnville, Indiana; submitted by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Reclamation Division; for exemplary soil replacement, and for restoring the site to farmland, which is now producing a variety of crops, including hay, soybeans, and wheat;
	Silver Award -- Bellaire Corporation, Indian Head Mine, Beulah, North Dakota; top example of surface mine reclamation; for complete reclamation of the mine site into cropland and native grassland for cattle grazing;
	Bronze Award -- Trapper Mining, Inc., Trapper Mine, Craig, Colorado; submitted by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division; for a reclamation and sedimentation control project which re-created a habitat for deer and elk on the mine's 10,000-acre permit area.

Each year, the Director's Award recognizes outstanding achievement in a special area of reclamation.

Winners of the 2002 Director's Awards are Falkirk Mining Company, Underwood, North Dakota, and Peabody Western Coal Company's Kayenta Mine, Navajo County , Arizona. The sensitivities of the companies to cultural and community values, and their effectiveness in preservation, was cited as a model for others to follow.

The North Dakota company's Falkirk Mine is located in a landscape that was home to prehistoric indigenous Indian groups. Permitting over the past 25 years has required many archeological and historic site surveys, resulting in preservation prior to mining. In addition, Falkirk made discoveries during mining that included prehistoric burial and bison kill sites. Mining operations were halted until all evidence could be recovered and permanent protection established.

At the Peabody's Kayenta Mine there is a long history of archaeological research. Information from Navajo and Hopi traditional medicine men, herbalists, and Black Mesa residents identified special plants. Local seed was collected and planted. Since the project began 10 years ago more than 234,000 cultural plant seedlings have been planted on nearly 170 acres. In 1966 newly passed federal antiquity laws dictated that, before mining, a thorough investigation had to be made and detailed reports filed. When the Black Mesa Archaeological Project was initiated, no one realized it would become one of the largest, longest-running archaeological projects in North America.

The national winners of 2002 Excellence in Surface Mining Awards are:

Consolidation Coal Company - Burning Star No. 4 Mine, Cutler Illinois. The Burning Star mine produced coal from 1973 to 1997 and is now completely reclaimed. The successful restoration of two major streams was a significant engineering and reclamation accomplishment at this former mine site. Almost nine miles of Galum and Bonnie creeks were restored after being temporarily diverted during the mining. The high-quality wildlife habitat surrounding the streams includes deepwater, wetlands, flood plain, and upland vegetation communities. Approximately 350,000 trees were planted in association with the stream restoration. This outstanding reclamation and the added diversity it created have resulted in rapid reestablishment of wildlife populations that will provide a stable long-term land use for years to come.

Signor Brothers - Babb Creek Operation, Bloss Township, Pennsylvania. Prior to reclamation, Babb Creek had washed into a late 1800's coal refuse pile and was eroding refuse downstream and causing acid mine drainage. Signor Brothers designed refuse removal and stream bank protection methods that eliminated 22,000 tons of refuse without harming the creek. Downed trees with the root wads on the stream bank turned Babb Creek away from the refuse and improved the fish habitat. Another innovative technique was the use of large equipment to load the refuse during frozen winter weather. This greatly reduced possible sediment problems.

Mingo Logan Coal Company - Low Gap Surface Mine No. 2, Wharncliffe, West Virginia. The Mingo Logan Coal Company used contour and mountaintop removal mining methods that resulted in post mining land use being transformed into a world-class 18-hole golf course. The 330 acres are characterized by rolling terrain and high mountain meadows. The upper level containing the front 9 holes was constructed within a backfill area. The lower level is built on a valley fill. Special soil handling procedures established the rough grade needed for the golf course and a rock crusher was used to provide base material for special areas. Two ponds provide irrigation water for the automated sprinklers located throughout the entire length of the bent grass greens, fairways, and tees.

Red River Mining Company - Coushatta, Louisiana. Red River's lignite mine has been operating for 12 years and has never had an environmental violation or a lost time accident. Reclamation of the mine site is mostly commercial forestry, a traditional use of land in this moist lowland landscape. Loblolly pines have been planted since 1991 and are now growing into stands of marketable forests. Smaller areas have been planted in pastureland and permanent ponds have been constructed to increase land value and provide water for cattle. Pond features include hardwoods, forbes (vegetation other than grass), and grassland species that provide both shelter and food supplies for waterfowl, deer, and other wildlife.

Carbon Coal Company - Carbon No. 2 Mine, Gallup, New Mexico. Carbon Coal Company's mining at this operation ended in 1986 and final grading and revegetation seeding was completed in 1991. Average annual precipitation is about 9.5 inches; however, summer flooding was an annual occurrence prior to mining. Reclamation included four permanent impoundments and intervening drainage channels that have prevented flooding of the adjacent town of Gallup. The 300 acre reclamation supports a remarkable diversity of plant and animal life. More than 100 vascular plant species have been established including grasses, shrubs, and forbes and revegetation carrying capacity has more than doubled.

RFI Energy, Inc. - Mine No. 208, Perry Township, Pennsylvania. RFI Energy has reclaimed 202 of its 212 disturbed acres. This unusually timely reclamation has eliminated large disturbed areas and prevented soil erosion. Before mining there were 88 acres of abandoned mine lands with 8,000 feet of highwalls and accompanying spoil piles and mine pits. Today, there is no visible difference between this reclaimed land and that of the virgin mine areas. And 55,000 tons of coal combustion ash was used as a soil amendment, which resulted in vigorous vegetation in one growing season. When mining began this site had significantly acidic water discharges from the abandoned mines. As mining progressed through areas where these discharges originated, the flows improved in quality, and then dried up.

Arch of Illinois, Inc. - Captain and Denmark Mines, Cutler, Illinois. At its production peak, Arch of Illinois' Captain Mine was the largest surface mine east of the Mississippi. When combined with the adjacent Denmark Mine the reclaimed land area was well over 11,000 acres. Located just west of Pyramid State Park, the reclaimed land has been purchased by the State making it the largest state park in Illinois. Prior to the land transfer, reclamation was aimed at recreational/wildlife use. This included a mix of farmland, lakes, wetlands, and forests. Many of the trees planted in the 1980's are now becoming mature forests. Wildlife became established and the value of this extensive area has continued to grow. This reclaimed site will provide recreational benefits for years to come.

Interior's Office of Surface Mining (OSM), the agency responsible for regulating the environmental impacts of coal production, presents the awards each year. Nominations from coal mine operators are first screened by state coal mining regulatory agencies and OSM Field Offices, which forward state-level winners to OSM Headquarters for final judging. A panel of experts from OSM completes the final judging.