Reclamation is often the Untold Story of our industry.  There are great reclamation successes around California that have not been publicized or sufficiently celebrated by the general public.  Case in point: the California Office of Mine Reclamation's (OMR) webpage on reclamation successes lists three examples but provides no pictures.  On the other hand, the Mineral Information Institute website provides an abundance of reclamation success examples that include pictures, but only two are in California.   

It is time that Californian's see a different side of our industry.  They need to witness and realize that the aggregates industry spends thousands of dollars every year improving wildlife habitat.  Our industry needs to tell the story that, through the reclamation process, reclaimed lands are usually more attractive to wildlife and other productive uses than before mining started.  

In an effort to tell our industry's untold story, EnviroMINE is initiating the Blog 4 Reclamation Success.  We want to provide an avenue for companies to tell their reclamation success stories to the general public and policy makers.  To help us launch our blog, contact us and send in your company's story of reclamation success (with pictures)  and we will post your story.  Check out our most recent posts to get a feel for our blog, and to see how your success story can be promoted!

We admit...it takes time to put information together; gather pictures, write up a report etc.  Sometimes we need a little incentive to do the work.  One way to do this is to provide awards!  The National Stone Sand and Gravel Association honors it's member reclamation successes through their Environmental Eagle Award.

The Environmental Eagle Award was created in 1992 by the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association. The award provides national recognition for aggregate-producing companies actively contributing to the maintenance of the environment in and around their operations, which include reclamation.

In 2010 the California Office of Mine Reclamation (OMR) sponsored an awards program that recognized excellence in the planning and implementation of mine reclamation in California.  Awards were given for Best Reclamation Plan and Excellence in Reclamation.  OMR's website has no updates for 2011 awards. 

We believe the reclamation successes in California deserve to be awarded.  We should encourage the development of an awards program that can be recognized statewide as well as nationally.