President Trump proposes US$129 million FY 2018 budget for OSMRE

29 May 2017

President Donald Trump has proposed a US$129 million Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) budget for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).

According to a news release from OSMRE, the budget removes regulatory barriers to responsibly develop coal on federal and Tribal land in the US, helps reduce the Federal deficit, and will provide a sustainable path for coal mining while protecting people and the environment. The bureau budget helps put the federal government on track to a balanced budget by 2027.

“The President’s plan for the FY2018 OSMRE budget puts the federal government on track for a balanced budget while prioritising the services and the energy resources the American people need,” said Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. “This proposed budget for OSMRE is an example of our pursuit of that strategy. OSMRE will work with its State and Tribal partners to achieve its mission, and we will do so at the lowest cost possible to taxpayers. This is a strong first step in the right direction.”

The FY18 OSMRE budget proposal saves taxpayers approximately US$111 million. This includes decreasing the Bureau’s Regulation and Technology budget by approximately US$13.6 million. The President’s FY18 budget proposal also ensures that reclamation of abandoned mine lands will continue in a fiscally responsible manner, reducing spending on certain programmatic functions by US$7.5 million and eliminating the US$89.9 million Abandoned Mine Land Economic Development Pilot program.

OSMRE’s proposed budget achieves the Administration’s goals by ensuring appropriate regulation at US coal mines, high-quality reclamation, and expeditious returns of mined land to effective post-mining land use.

Source – www.worldcoal.com