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Abstract
Excerpts from the report: For many years the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been helping private-land owners restore their surface-mined land as part of their regular programs of wise land use and conservation treatment. USDA also has done restoration work and research studies on the public land it administers. Its experience and skills range all the way from preplanning mining to prevent offsite damage to development of a mined area for highly intensive uses. Through studies and experience and through participation in the 2-year National Surface Mine Study under Public Law 89-4, USDA has gathered a great deal of information about surface-mined land conservation progress and needs. In this report highlights of the data are given as well as ideas for future action, suggested by research and experience, that can speed restoration of the surface-mined-land that is intermingled with farm, ranch, forest, and other land in rural and suburban America.