About

In January 2010, 25 grassroots groups, environmental attorneys, activists, and national environmental organizations from across the country came together under the auspices of Citizens Coal Council because they have been coping with a significant increase in the number of major problems in the coalfields, from pollution to lost water resources, because of lax regulatory enforcement of the mining industry.  The federal Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), the agency responsible for ensuring that SMCRA is enforced and that coalfield citizens are protected, has faced increasing pressure from the coal industry, budget cuts and shortfalls, and demands from coal mining states that want to maintain regulatory authority over coal mining operations.  The agency has seemingly lost focus on its responsibilities, much to the detriment of coalfield residents.

 

Coalfield citizens have no real influence over, or access to, the governmental decisions that directly impact their air, water and quality of life.  While coalfield residents come from some of the most economically depressed areas of the country, with average poverty rates 17% higher and per capita income 25% lower than the national average, the coal industry has spent more than $24 million in lobbying efforts and contributed, through PACs, to $15.6 million to federal political candidates in the last election.  The coal industry’s efforts to steer regulation has been largely effective, and citizens are increasingly recognizing the need to take back control of these processes.

 

The OSMRE Watch is a national-level campaign that works to hold regulatory authorities accountable when the law is not enforced in a timely, consistent, and transparent manner.  Coalfield residents need to play a crucial role in communicating coal industry violations to federal authorities and ensuring that citizen input is seriously considered in the enforcement process, and that the coal industry is not considered by regulatory agencies with greater esteem than the general population.