Environmental Protection in the Federal Coal Leasing Program Page: III
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Foreword
This report responds to a request by the House and Senate Committees on Ap-
propriations, as mandated in the Conference Committee Report on the Department
of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 1984, to assess
the ability of the Federal coal leasing program to ensure the development of leases
in an environmentally compatible manner. This study builds on earlier OTA reports,
An Assessment of the Development and Production Potential of Federal Coal Leases
and The Direct Use of Coal, and will contribute to future work on surface mine
reclamation.
The assessment addresses the recent controversy surrounding the implementation
of the environmental protection aspects of the Federal coal leasing program. It discusses
the adequacy of the regulatory provisions of the program to ensure the environmental
compatibility of Federal lease tracts, including the 1982 changes in program policy and
regulations. The Bureau of Land Management's implementation of the leasing program
legislation and regulations is evaluated, with emphasis on the adequacy of data and
analyses to support land use planning and environmental impact assessment. The report
assesses the characteristics of tracts proposed for leasing since 1979, to determine
whether any of those tracts will be particularly difficult to develop under current en-
vironmental laws and regulations. It also assesses the potential for cumulative environ-
mental impacts upon the development of several lease tracts in one area. Finally, the
report presents policy options Congress could consider that seek to restore predictability
and stability to the leasing program.
In the course of this assessment, OTA drew on the expertise of many individuals
and organizations. In particular, we are grateful for the generous assistance of the
workshop participants and the project's contractors, who prepared background analyses.
We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the numerous reviewers who gave
their time to ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of this report. Finally, we
are especially grateful to the Bureau of Land Management and its field personnel, without
whose cheerful and candid cooperation this assessment would not have been possible.
JOHN H. GIBBONS
Director
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United States. Congress. Office of Technology Assessment. Environmental Protection in the Federal Coal Leasing Program, report, May 1984; [Washington D.C.]. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc39541/m1/3/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.