Wyoming Mining

摘要

In Vol. XXXIII, Nos. 1 and 3 (2016) of this Newsletter Wyoming's self-bonding program was reported to be under scrutiny by environmental advocates and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE). Self-bonding is a program that allows mining companies to pay for future reclamation costs without having to post reclamation bonds, provided the companies meet certain financial criteria. See Wyo. Rules & Regs. ENV LQC ch. 11, §§ 1-7. In the wake of numerous coal company bankruptcies and given uncertainties in the coal market, environmental groups and OSMRE questioned whether self-bonding was an adequate mechanism to ensure money is available for reclamation of mining operations.