Mining Sector Information
Overview
The U.S. Geological Service estimates there are over 11,000 active mines in the United States ranging from sand & gravel pits to coal and goal mines. There are also thousands of inactive mines scattered across the country.
Several agencies are involved in regulating the mining industry. The U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration regulates worker safety and health. The Department of Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement and delegated states regulate coal mining activities. The U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service regulate mining activities on federal land managed by these agencies. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, and state agencies also have roles in regulating the mining industry. The following links are intended to help Smart Sectors partners and the public learn more about how EPA works with the mining sector.
Basic EPA Regulatory Information
- Laws and regulation, compliance and policies and guidance information
- EPA mineral mining effluent guidelines information
- Abandoned mine site information
- Clean Water Act Section 404 information
EPA Resources
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Explore a Metal Mine that Reports to the TRI Program — EPA developed a graphic to provide users of TRI data with a better understanding of mining operations and related TRI-reportable chemical releases. The metal mining sector handles large volumes of material and each year, and this sector reports the largest total quantity of releases of TRI-covered chemicals (mostly in the form of waste rock) of any industry sector covered by the TRI Program. Consequently, this sector greatly influences the TRI data viewed by the public, driving several important national and local trends.
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Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) — EPA's CMOP works cooperatively with the coal mining industry in the U.S. and other major coal-producing countries to reduce CMM emissions.
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SmartWay Transport — EPA's SmartWay Transport program helps companies advance supply chain sustainability by measuring, benchmarking, and improving freight transportation efficiency. Any company or organization that ships, manages, or hauls freight in its operations can become an EPA SmartWay Partner.
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Sustainable Materials Management Prioritization Tools — Free, life cycle-based tools that offer a starting place to establish priorities for environmental improvement, focus limited financial and human resources where action could offer greater holistic benefit, and consider key industries for collaboration.
- EPA and Hardrock Mining Sourcebook — This document provides guidance on the Clean Water Act permitting processes and associated National Environmental Policy Act environmental review requirements for new metal mining operations in the Northwest and Alaska.