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Abandoned Mine Land Program

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Since 1977, states and tribes have been working together to address public health and safety risks posed by abandoned mines across the country, but work remains. Visit National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs to learn about our national organization.

An estimated 15,000-plus abandoned legacy mine features exist in the State of New Mexico. They range from shallow prospect pits to 500-feet-deep mine shafts to piles of coal gob (mine waste).

The New Mexico Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Program and other abandoned mine land programs throughout the nation were formed by the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) on May 2, 1977 (amended in 2006 and 2021). This federal law levies a fee on active coal mines. The amount of the fee varies, depending on whether the mine is surface-mined coal or underground-mined coal. The monies collected from this fee are placed in the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, which then finances projects to reclaim coal mines abandoned prior to the enactment of SMCRA. Under certain conditions, abandoned non-coal mines may also be reclaimed using the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund monies.

For more information, see the AML FAQ page.

Contact Information

 

Name Phone Number Email
SANTA FE OFFICE
Mike Tompson, P.E., Program Manager (505) 690-8063 mike.tompson@emnrd.nm.gov
Chuck Dentino, Project Manager (505) 795-3339 charles.dentino@emnrd.nm.gov
James Hollen, NEPA Coordinator (505) 231-8332 james.hollen@emnrd.nm.gov
Livia de Viterbo, Staff Engineer (505) 469-6678 livia.ramos@emnrd.nm.gov 
Daniela Chacon, Staff Engineer (505) 819-8180 daniela.chacon@emnrd.nm.gov
John Daues, Project Manager (505) 490-0825 john.daues@emnrd.nm.gov
Beatrice Groven, Admin Coordinator (505) 549-6782 beatrice.groven@emnrd.nm.gov
ALBUQUERQUE OFFICE
Laurence D’Alessandro, Project Manager (505) 469-0511 laurence.dalessandro@emnrd.nm.gov
Meghan McDonald, P.E., Principal Engineer (505) 629-9872 meghan.mcdonald@emnrd.nm.gov
Lloyd Moiola, Environmental Manager (505) 629-3757 lloyd.moiola@emnrd.nm.gov
Leeland Murray, Project Manager (505) 629-9677 leeland.murray@emnrd.nm.gov
Andrew Zink, Cultural Resource Manager (505) 490-7379 andrew.zink@emnrd.nm.gov
Matthew Peralta, Project Manager (505) 819-1955 matthew.peralta@emnrd.nm.gov