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Activities of the Standing Committees
Finance and Administrative Committee
The committee met on two occasions during 2004. On April 28 the committee met in Virginia Beach, Virginia in conjunction with the Compact’s Annual Meeting. The committee reviewed the Compact’s current financial condition; reviewed and approved the proposed Fiscal Year 2005 budget; reviewed the status of state dues assessment payments; discussed the IMCC Executive Director Evaluation; and approved salary and vacation increases for IMCC staff.
On November 17, the committee met in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The committee reviewed the Compact’s current financial condition; reviewed and approved the Compact’s Fiscal Year 2004 Audit; and discussed the policy and protocol for the annual staff compensation review.
Resolutions Committee
The committee met jointly with the Finance and Administrative Committee twice in 2004. On April 28 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the committee recommended approval of three resolutions of appreciation, and a resolution concerning funding for the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992. All four resolutions were adopted by the full commission at the Annual Executive Commission Business Meeting. A resolution reflecting the vote of the Commission to approve Utah’s entry into the Compact as an associate member state was adopted by the full commission during the Mid-Year Executive Commission Business Meeting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (See Resolutions section of this Annual Report.)
Environmental Affairs Committee - Coal Section
The Coal Section of the Environmental Affairs Committee met on April 27, 2004 in Virginia Beach, Virginia in conjunction with the Compact’s Annual Meeting. Among the topics discussed were: legislation to amend Title IV (Abandoned Mine Land Program (AML)) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA); the Interstate Mining Compact Commission’s (IMCC) proposal regarding enhanced opportunities for coordinating and expanding AML funding; the Office of Surface Mining’s (OSM) FY 2005 budget request; mine placement of coal combustion wastes; the underground mine mapping initiative; the Single Source Coal Reporting (SSCR) initiative; performance measures for Title V of SMCRA; mountaintop mining and valley fill issues; OSM’s National Technology Transfer Team; OSM’s proposed rules on ownership and control; and a roundtable discussion of issues various IMCC states were engaged in.
On November 16 the committee met in conjunction with the IMCC Mid-Year Meeting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Among the topics discussed were: legislation to amend Title IV of SMCRA (AML Program); the IMCC proposal regarding enhanced opportunities for coordinating and expanding AML funding; OSM’s FY 2005 budget request; the National Academy of Sciences study on coal combustion wastes; the SSCR initiative; OSM’s Applicant/Violator System rules; OSM’s National Technology Transfer Team; the underground mine mapping initiative; and a roundtable discussion of several issues of concern to member states.
Environmental Affairs Committee - Noncoal Section
The Noncoal Section of the Environmental Affairs Committee met twice in 2004. On April 26 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the committee met in conjunction with the Compact’s Annual Meeting. The committee met again on November 16 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in conjunction with the Mid-Year Meeting. Topics discussed at the April 26 meeting included: mine safety and health issues; status of state/federal discussions regarding mine placement of coal combustion wastes; an upcoming Bonding Forum; and a proposed IMCC minerals reporting initiative.
Topics of discussion at the committee meeting held on November 16 included: mine safety and health issues; status of state/federal discussions on mine placement of coal combustion wastes; a proposed state program peer review program; and issues of concern to individual IMCC states.
Abandoned Mine Lands Committee
The Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Committee met jointly with the Coal Section of the Environmental Affairs Committee on two occasions — April 27 in Virginia Beach, Virginia and November 16 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. At the April meeting, the committee discussed the following topics: legislative activity to amend Title IV of the Surface Mining Act (the AML provisions) and various related activities undertaken by IMCC, the states, and other interested parties; IMCC’s proposal regarding enhanced opportunities for coordinating and expanding AML funding; and OSM’s FY 2005 budget request for Title IV funding.
At the November 16 meeting, topics discussed included: legislation to amend Title IV of the Surface Mining Act (the AML provisions); Combined Benefit Fund issues and their impact on the AML Fund reauthorization process; IMCC’s continued work with the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs (NAAMLP); IMCC’s proposal regarding enhanced opportunities for coordinating and expanding AML funding; and OSM’s FY 2005 budget request for Title IV funding.
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee met on April 7, 2004 at the Interstate Mining Compact Commission (IMCC) offices in Herndon, Virginia to select winners of the 2004 Kenes C. Bowling National Mine Reclamation Awards. The Education Work Group met via conference call the same day to select winners of the 2004 IMCC National Mineral Education Awards. The Compact received a total of 15 reclamation award nominations from 10 states: 9 in the coal category and 6 in the noncoal category. The reclamation award recipients, and photos of the winning sites, are listed elsewhere in this Annual Report. The awards were presented at the Annual Awards Banquet on April 27, which was held in conjunction with IMCC’s Annual Meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The National Mineral Education Awards were also presented at the April 27 Awards Banquet. The education award recipients are also listed elsewhere in this Annual Report.
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