Hundreds of Abandoned Coal Mines Remain Unreclaimed
A GAO report finds the federal agency overseeing reclamation has lost a third of its staff while failing to publish required reports to Congress.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in National Parks
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A Government Accountability Office report released Thursday found hundreds of abandoned coal mines remain unreclaimed across the United States. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's workforce fell 35%, from 408 employees in 2024 to 265 by May 2026.
Why it matters
Federal law requires operators to reclaim land once coal extraction ends, but no single comprehensive federal database tracks every abandoned mine, making oversight difficult. Dangerous sinkholes are opening as aging mine infrastructure erodes beneath communities, roads and public lands.
The GAO report cites 5,247 permitted coal operations nationwide, 56% of which have recorded zero coal production since 2000. Hundreds of thousands of mine locations are documented across two federal agencies' records, but no single database tracks them all.
The players
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
A federal agency within the Department of the Interior responsible for regulating coal mining and overseeing the reclamation of abandoned mine lands.
The details
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement has not published its required annual performance reports to Congress since 2020, citing other priorities. Its workforce decline resulted from deferred resignations, an executive branch hiring freeze and restructuring within the Department of the Interior.
Timeline
Since 2000: 56% of permitted coal operations recorded zero production.
Since 2020: OSMRE has not published required annual reports to Congress.
2024: OSMRE workforce stood at 408 employees.
May 2026: OSMRE workforce fell to 265 employees.
Thursday, November 12, 2026: GAO released its report.
Roadmap
The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 required operators to reclaim mined land, yet the agency created to enforce it now reports a third fewer staff. The gap between that mandate and current capacity is what the GAO findings put into focus.
Residents near former mine sites should be aware of sinkhole risks as aging underground infrastructure erodes beneath roads and property. Check with local authorities before building or driving near areas with a history of mining activity.
The takeaway
Abandoned mines are a long-term public safety issue that depends on consistent federal oversight. Communities near legacy mine land should track reclamation status through their state and local offices.
Further reading
For context on how federal lands are managed, explore National Parks coverage across the United States.
More information
Read the full ABC News report on abandoned coal mines and federal staffing.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC News.
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