RECLAMATION OF THE LANDSCAPE 319 



tipples, and other temporary structures should be included as a 

 part of the plan. 



Second, surface restoration costs should be considered as much a 

 part of the total costs of mineral extraction as core drilling or hauling 

 the mineral to market. 



Third, specifics of restoration must be adjusted to the landscape 

 needs of authorized planning units. These planning units would 

 include highway landscape plans, and community, county, or region- 

 al landscape plans. 



Finally, if these principles for action are to be met within the 

 margin of profit, there is a need for new kinds of equipment and 

 methods directed at reducing costs of the total job. The combined 

 effort of government scientists and the scientists and engineers of 

 the mining industry should be brought to bear on developing new 

 types of equipment that will realize the full utilization of our mineral 

 resources without irreparable damage to the landscapes. 



In sum, there is a need to ( 1 ) survey and develop a sound pro- 

 gram for restoration of surface-mined areas ; ( 2 ) continue and step 

 up a research program on all the problems of restoration, including 

 equipment and methods; (3) demonstrate restoration and land- 

 scape values on public lands; (4) provide technical assistance and 

 a sharing of costs in planning restoration on suitable private lands; 

 (5) correct the past damage on steep, mountainous lands at what- 

 ever expense is necessary ; and ( 6 ) encourage the adoption of com- 

 mon principles in State laws governing surface-mining operations. 



Dr. BRAMBLE. Reclamation of spoil bank areas that are an after- 

 math of strip mining for coal, is one of the important modern prob- 

 lems that faces the country in beautification of the landscape. It is 

 a problem that can and must be solved if we are to retain the natural 

 beauty of certain heavily populated sections of the country that are 

 in position to be viewed by many thousands of people. 



It is vital to remember that strip mining is a common and eco- 

 nomical method of mining coal in at least 12 mid western and 

 eastern States. It is a vital part of the economy of these States. For 

 example, in Indiana about 15J/2 million tons of coal valued at $62 

 million are mined each year and over 70 percent of the coal mined 

 is by strip mining. About 67 percent of this coal is used in generating 

 electric power, and about 2 billion tons of coal remain available for 

 recovery mining, which at present consumption rates could last about 

 1,000 years. 



