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<br />Under safety enforcement programs, mine owners or operators are <br />required to submit mining plans which detail the design and operating <br />standards to be employed. These standards must comply with the criteria <br />developed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) which also <br />has the authority to inspect mining operations and suspend those found in <br />violation of its regulations. 71 MSHA is also responsible for the develop- <br />ment of health and safety education programs and dissemination of these <br />throughout the industry. These programs have concentrated on providing <br />instructions and materials to supervisory personnel at each mine who in <br />turn are expected to train individual miners. 72 <br />The Bureau of Mines was directed under the Act to conduct health <br />and safety research and development programs. These studies include <br />areas such as fire and explosion hazards, methane control, ventilation, and <br />disaster survival and rescue techniques. Generally, the research attempts <br />to improve the technologies available for use by the industry such that <br />health and safety in mining operations will continue to be improved. 70 <br />The Act was amended by the Federal Mine Health and Safety Act <br />Amendmen~s of 1977.73 This amending legislation embodied in statute <br />certain enforcement and administrative requirements, established an advisory <br />committee to consult on coal research priorities, and transferred some <br />program authority to the Labor Department. <br /> <br />2.4.2 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) <br />By 1975 38 states had initiated programs to control the surface impacts <br />of coal mining; however, differing requirements and the varying effective- <br />ness of program enforcement prompted Congress to enact Federal legislation <br />applicable to the entire nation. SMCRA establishes a uniform program for <br />reclaiming surface areas affected by surface and underground mining on <br />Federal and state lands, I ndian lands, and private property. 74 <br />The law preempts all other authority in reclamation matters, though <br />states and I ndian tribes are recognized as lead agencies for implementing <br />SMCRA. Under this arrangement, states and Indian tribes are required to <br />submit plans for implementation and enforcement of Federal requirements to <br /> <br /> <br />2-26 <br />