In a letter dated March 28, 2024, Jeffrey W. Fleischman with the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement flagged components of House Bill 576 as “inconsistent with” and “less effective than” federal laws such as the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Because federal law prevents states from adopting mining regulations that are weaker than federal standards, that assessment is likely to nullify the new state law.
