The purpose of the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program is to abate hazardous conditions related to past mining and to protect and enhance the public health, safety and general welfare from these adverse effects by promoting the reclamation of mined areas left in an unreclaimed state prior to the enactment of PL 95-87 (the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act) on August 3, 1977. The primary emphasis of the AML program is the identification and reclamation of abandoned surface coal mines. An inventory conducted in northwest Louisiana identified some 49 abandoned lignite sites covering approximately 646 acres. Of these 49 sites, 40 had been reclaimed by nature, 7 had been inundated by the Toledo Bend Reservoir, one had been reclaimed through site development, and one was scheduled to be mined through by an active mining operation.

Dangerous highwall at abandoned site

As a result of this inventory, Louisiana was granted permission by the Department of the Interior to use funds to identify and reclaim abandoned non-coal mine sites, such as abandoned sand and gravel mines. More than 1,200 abandoned non-coal mines have already been identified, ranging in size from a few acres to more than 1,000 acres in extent. The total acreage of unreclaimed land is more than 130,000 acres.

The major problems associated with abandoned mines in Louisiana include hazardous highwalls, some of which are very unstable, dangerous water bodies which are very inviting as "swimming holes," and abandoned equipment. The Office of Conservation has proposed future legislation to expand and enhance the abandoned non-coal mine reclamation program.

Abandoned equipment and machinery