Coal will continue to provide a major portion of energy requirements in the United States for at least the next several decades. It is imperative that accurate information describing the amount, location, and quality of the coal resources and reserves be available to fulfill energy needs. It is also important that the United States extract its coal resources efficiently, safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner. A renewed focus on federal support for coal-related research, coordinated across agencies and with the active participation of the states and industrial sector, is a critical element for each of these requirements. Coal focuses on the research and development needs and priorities in the areas of coal resource and reserve assessments, coal mining and processing, transportation of coal and coal products, and coal utilization.

Surface coal mining in the mountainous areas of Appalachia generates controversy because of its scale and the post-mining appearance of the land. This report examined the characteristics of: (1) surface coal mining; and (2) reclaimed lands that were disturbed by surface coal mining in the mountainous, eastern part of Kentucky and in West Virginia, where most such mining occurs. Fed. and state law requires mining operators to obtain permits before mining. The permits identify the acres under open permit and how the land will be reclaimed -- including the post-mining land use, whether the approximate original contour of the land will be restored, and the extent to which excess earth, rock, and other materials are placed in nearby valleys. Illustrations.