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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has recognized four companies for advancing the use of sustainable development in their work on public lands. Michael Nedd, the BLM Assistant Director for Energy, Minerals and Realty Management, announced the winners of the Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards on Oct. 27.

The BLM presented an award in four categories: The winner of the BLM Hardrock Mineral Community Outreach and Economic Security Award is Stillwater Mining Co., located in Sweet Grass, Montana.

The BLM Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award winner is NYAC Mining Co., located in Anchorage, Alaska.

The winner of the "Fix a Shaft Today!" Award is the Harding Pegmatite Mine Safeguard Project, located in Dixon, New Mexico.

The BLM Hardrock Mineral Director's Award winner is Intrepid Potash Wendover located in Wendover, Utah.

“The award recipients are outstanding examples of leadership and environmental responsibility in the hardrock mining industry," Assistant Director Nedd said. "These mineral resources are critical to America's infrastructure and vital to the economic wellbeing of many communities." These awards are all about development that meets the non-fuel mineral needs of the present generation, without compromising the needs of future generations," Assistant Director Nedd said.  “All of this year's winners illustrate the BLM's concept of sustainable development."

The Hardrock Mineral Community Outreach and Security Award recognizes projects that highlight the economic benefits of mineral development. The award acknowledges operators and other organizations that contribute to the quality of life or long-term health of their local communities. Winners are also recognized for incorporating community concerns in their development or closure plans in a creative fashion. The BLM Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award recognizes achievements in environmental stewardship of operators with less than 15 employees. Like the BLM Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award, this award recognizes operators who have demonstrated continuous or repeated efforts to successfully meet or exceed Federal, State or local reclamation requirements. The "Fix A Shaft Today!" (FAST!) Award recognizes active participation in the FAST! Campaign, which is a partnership initiative aimed at eradicating unsafe abandoned mine land features, especially open mine shafts.

The BLM Hardrock Mineral Director's Award may be presented in recognition of outstanding achievement in a particular area of sustainable development. Sustainable development is a concept adopted by the United States and 192 other countries, to balance environmental, economic, and social concerns in planning for mining operations. Nominations for the BLM hardrock mining awards were first screened by BLM State Office officials, who forwarded the applications to BLM Headquarters for final judging by a panel that included experts in mining activities from outside the BLM.