Announcement of the Bureau of Land Management 2010 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards Program
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
December 3, 2009
In Reply Refer To:
3500/3600/3800 (320) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 12/04/2009
Instruction Memorandum No. 2010-023
Expires: 09/30/2011
To: All Field Officials
From: Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty Management
Subject: Announcement of the Bureau of Land Management 2010 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards Program
Due Dates: 12/15/2009; 02/05/2010; 03/15/2010
Program Areas: Locatable Minerals (3800), Mineral Materials (3600), and Solid Leasable Minerals (3500).
Purpose: The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards program, initiated in April 2003, recognizes solid mineral operators who have made exemplary contributions to solid minerals (non-coal) development. This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides information relating to the 2010 awards program, including the deadline for submission of nominations as well as other deadlines. The “Fix A Shaft Today!” Award was introduced in 2009. The five award categories are The Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award, The Hardrock Mineral Community Outreach and Economic Security Award, The Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award, The Hardrock Mineral Director’s Award, and The “Fix A Shaft Today!” Award. The purpose of the awards is to recognize work in any of the three components of sustainable development: environmental health, social responsibility, and economic security.
Policy/Action: The Department of the Interior (DOI) created the Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards program to showcase some of the finest examples of responsible mineral resource development. The award winners embody our understanding of sustainable development, development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet future needs.
The BLM state offices are requested to assist the Washington Office in publicizing this award program and in receiving and processing the nominations. Attachment 1 is a detailed description of the BLM’s 2010 award program that may be distributed to the public. It includes information on the nomination and selection processes, including specific criteria for the five categories of awards, as well as information regarding the format for nominations, required number of copies, etc. Please ensure that this attachment is posted in the public room. It should be noted that operations are not limited to public lands administrated by the BLM.
The awards program is open to all solid mineral (non-coal) industries or operations nationally, without regard to land ownership. To further the BLM/United States Forest Service “Service First” initiative, operators conducting activities on Forest Service lands are encouraged to apply. As stated in the attachment, the deadline for submission of nominations to the area BLM state offices is February 5, 2010. Please email the name of the BLM state office contact for the awards program to Mary Linda Ponticelli at Mary_Ponticelli@blm.gov by December 15, 2009.
State offices will receive and initially process nominations, verify the information that is submitted with a nomination, and determine if the nominee is in compliance with all applicable regulations. The compliance verification process for a mining operation should include a site visit by the BLM personnel. When a nominee is not regulated by the BLM, the state office must obtain written confirmation from the regulator that the nominee is in compliance. After preparing a Statement of Findings for each nomination, please forward all nominations and an accompanying Statement of Findings to the Washington Office, Division of Solid Minerals (WO-320) by March 15, 2010. The documents should be sent by Federal Express to:
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management (WO-320)
Mail Stop 501 LS, 1620 L Street, N.W.
Attention: Mary Linda Ponticelli
Washington, DC 20036
Timeframe: The following is a summary of the deadlines related to the guidance set forth in this IM which is effective immediately:
December 15, 2009 - Name of state office coordinator to be submitted to WO-320
February 5, 2010 - Deadline for award nominations to be filed with state offices
March 15, 2010 - Deadline for state offices to send nominations and accompanying
Statement of Findings to WO-320
Budget Impact: The anticipated budget impact of this award program to the field is minimal.
Background: The DOI through the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement, has presented reclamation awards to coal operations since 1986. In 2002, the Department requested that the BLM institute its own awards program and that the program be open to solid mineral (non-coal) operations nationally without regard to land ownership. The 2010 awards program will mark the eighth year for the BLM’s awards program.
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: No manual or handbook sections are affected.
Coordination: Coordination activities for this award program are ongoing. The BLM Washington Office is working closely with the National Mining Association to publicize and coordinate the awards program. Organizations with an interest is solid minerals management will also be notified of the BLM’s 2010 awards program and invited to submit nominations.
Contact: If you have any questions concerning the content of this IM, please contact Mitchell Leverette, Chief, Division of Solid Minerals, at 202-912-7113 or Mitchell_Leverette@blm.gov, or your staff may contact Mary Linda Ponticelli, Division of Solid Minerals, at 202-912-7115 or Mary_Ponticelli@blm.gov.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Timothy R. Spisak Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Minerals and Realty Management
1 Attachment
1 - 2010 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards Program (8 pp)