The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is a bureau within the United States Department of the Interior established by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. The agency is responsible for regulating surface coal mining operations and the surface effects of underground coal mining on federal, state, and tribal lands throughout the United States. OSMRE works to ensure that coal mining operations are conducted in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining and that the land is restored to beneficial use following mining activities. The agency oversees state mining regulatory programs, provides funding and expertise for abandoned mine land reclamation, and develops new tools and technologies for industry and regulators through its technical innovation and professional development programs. OSMRE maintains partnerships with 24 coal-producing states and three tribes, which have primary responsibility for regulating coal mining and reclamation activities within their jurisdictions. The agency also manages the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program, which addresses hazards and environmental degradation from mining operations that occurred before 1977. Through this program, OSMRE has helped reclaim thousands of abandoned mine sites, improving public safety and environmental conditions in mining communities across the country.