Reclamation Committee Meeting
January 19, 2000
Denver, CO

Summary:

The Committee met with representatives of the Bituminous Coal Operators Association to discuss the BCOA’s proposal to divert money from the Abandoned Mine Land fund to pay for the health benefits of retired miners and to extend the AML fee from 2004 to 2010 at a reduced rate. This is a major issue for western coal producing states which are owed more that $330 million from the states’ share of AML funds which the federal government has not appropriated. This issue is also addressed by existing WGA policy.