Divisions: Abandoned Mine Lands

Division Description

The Public Service Commission administers the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Program on behalf of the State of North Dakota. The State AML Program was authorized by action of the Department of Interior in 1981 under authority of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-87, Title IV). Program funding comes from a ten cent per ton production tax on lignite coal mined within the State. Currently State lignite production is about thirty million tons per year. Thus, approximately three million dollars is paid annually into the AML Fund, administered by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), Department of Interior. A portion of this money is returned to the State of North Dakota to eliminate existing and potential public hazards resulting from abandoned surface and underground coal mines.

Since the inception of the North Dakota State AML Program over 100,000 linear feet of dangerous highwall, 155 vertical openings, 1,893 acres of subsidence (caused by underground mine collapse) and other hazardous features caused by abandoned mines have been eliminated. Under funding of our program below federal statutory levels has resulted in reclamation delays and additional risk to the public.