In Indiana, coal is produced by both surface mines and underground mines. In 2002, about 76 percent of Indiana’s coal production was from surface mines. Surface mining affects vegetative cover, soil characteristics, surface drainage, and ground water. Public controversies also occasionally arise regarding the effects of blasting. Underground mining has the potential to cause subsidence of the land.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Division of Reclamation (DOR) administers coal mining and land restoration programs for both active and abandoned coal mining operations. Active operations are regulated under the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (P.L. 95-87), and the Indiana Surface Mining Law (IC 14-34). The DOR has prepared a pamphlet titled Citizens Guide to Coal Mining and Regulation in Indiana.
Other agencies having major roles in the regulation of coal mining include the IDNR Division of Water, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), and the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).