The Surface Mine Reclamation Workshop was created in the late 1970s in response to the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. It is intended to draw coal mining and reclamation stakeholders together to discuss advantages and disadantages of reclamation process.
The workshop is held annually in early October. In addition to industry speakers, there is a research poster competition for graduate and undergraduate students, and commercial displays. The workshop also provides scholarships for students in related fields of study.
The Surface Mine Reclamation Workshop is led by Jake Mowrer, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension Associate Professor in Soil Nutrient & Water Resource Management