Abandoned Mine Lands

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Overview

The Public Service Commission administers the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Program on behalf of the State of North Dakota. The State AML Program was approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1981 under authority of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-87, Title IV). Program funding comes from a federal reclamation fee on coal that has been mined in the United States since the late 1970's. These fees are placed into the AML fund and the money that North Dakota receives from this fund is used to eliminate existing and potential public hazards resulting from abandoned surface and underground coal mines.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was enacted on November 15, 2021. The BIL amended the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to re-authorize the AML Program and extended the collection of the federal reclamation fee until September 30, 2034. North Dakota will be receiving approximately three million dollars per year from reclamation fee-based grants and approximately three million dollars in BIL grants until 2034. The reclamation fee on lignite mined in North Dakota is currently 6.4 cents per ton.

The mission of the Abandoned Mine Lands Division is to eliminate potential or existing hazards associated with abandoned coal mines in North Dakota for which there is no continuing liability under state or federal law. The nature of this mission is not regulatory but rather service-oriented.

Related goals are:

Reclaim abandoned mine land sites found on the North Dakota AML Inventory.
Reclaim hazardous abandoned mine land sites not on the AML Inventory but discovered through exploratory drilling or public information.
Reclaim emergency sites as the highest work priority. Develop emergency reaction plans that will reduce the time taken to eliminate the imminent hazard.

Link to the website of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

AML Site Location Map

2018 Carrick Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Project Video

Consumer Information

The following is some information related to North Dakota's Abandoned Mine Lands Program:

You Should Know

These are consumer information brochures developed by the ND Public Service Commission.

AML Subsidence--Ask Before You Build

Helpful Links

Laws & Rules

AML Laws & Rules

Forms

Projects

Click here to view Completed Projects

Currently Planned Projects (2025)

The following Abandoned Mine Lands Projects are proposed for reclamation during the 2025 construction season. For questions about these projects, contact the North Dakota Public Service Commission, 600 East Boulevard Ave., Dept. 408, Bismarck, ND 58505-0480 or 701-328-2400, ndpsc@nd.gov.

For bid opportunities, refer to North Dakota State Procurement Online.

2025 Lehigh Road Phase X and Scranton Phase IV AML Project

The 2025 Lehigh Road Phase X and Scranton Phase IV AML Project is a remote backfilling project to stabilize abandoned underground coal mine workings along public roads and other infrastructure located near Dickinson and Scranton, ND. This project is a continuation of numerous projects that revealed the extent of the underground mines were larger than expected.
Pre-bid, Virtual Tour:

Hyperlink to Guide - This document will explain the Pre-Bid Virtual Tour and has directions on what is required.
Link to SPO website and IFB - Here is where to find the Invitation for Bids and other procurement information.

2025 Buechler Velva Phase 3 AML Project

The 2025 Buechler Velva Phase 3 AML Project involves backsloping and backfilling approximately 2,900 feet of dangerous highwall and water filled pits using approximately 800,000 cubic yards of on-site soil. The main site is approximately 8.5 miles southwest of Velva, North Dakota, in Ward County. This 85-acre abandoned mine site is characterized by a steep eroding highwall approximately 35 feet in height. Additional work on an nearby reclaimed abandoned surface mine includes repairing a slope failure plane, removing a culvert, and installing a rock channel. Affected areas will be reseeded with locally adapted grass species native to western North Dakota.

Link to SPO website and IFB - Here is where to find the Invitation for Bids and other procurement information.
A mandatory pre-bid, on-site conference is scheduled for March 25, 2025. The meeting time and location will be:11:00 A.M., Central Time (CT): 24000 181st St SE Velva, ND 58790, approximately 8.5 miles southwest of Velva, ND. (Latitude 47°59'2.99"N, Longitude 101° 0'50.63"W)

2025 Sinkhole Filling and Maintenance AML Project

This project will fill dangerous sinkholes caused by underground mine collapse at abandoned mine lands located in western North Dakota. Sinkhole filling projects have been conducted annually since the 1980s. Maintenance will be conducted at two reclaimed abandoned surface mine sites.

Bid Tabulations

Bid Tabulations for Bid Opening on April 9, 2024

Bid Tabulations for Bid Opening on May 3, 2023