LINKING RESEARCH AND REGULATORY POLICY TO ENABLE ADVANCES IN RECLAMATION PRACTICE

摘要

Advances of coal-mine reclamation practice commonly involve scientists who conduct mining and reclamation research, industry reclamation specialists who apply those scientific advances in the field, and regulatory agency personnel who must approve of those changes by interpreting state and federal laws. In the state of Virginia, interactions between the Virginia Division of Mined Land Reclamation and Virginia Tech researchers have enabled adjustments of regulatory procedures to accommodate research findings. Elements of those interactions include (1) development of research designs that consider regulatory issues while addressing scientific principles; (2) effective communication between researchers and regulators prior to and during research, and in response to research findings; and (3) cooperative involvement by university and state-agency personnel in communicating practical implications of research findings to federal agencies and industry.