Customer Services

The Customer Services Unit (CS) is responsible for providing assistance to the mining community concerning reclamation and mining technology in areas including remining, watershed restoration, hearings and assessment conferences, and training. Customer Services also is a central point of contact for service inquiries and referrals, and disseminates information and technology transfer to customers.

Remining
Remining is an area in which Customer Services provides guidance to mine operators for the development of permits on sites that have been disturbed by mining prior to the Federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMRCA) of 1977. Customer Services assists in the development of policies and procedures and guidelines related to remining to meet the specialized needs of the Division of Mined Land Reclamation (DMLR), the mining industry, other governmental agencies, special interest groups, and concerned citizens of Virginia. Customer Services works to develops incentives that will encourage coal production while reclaiming outstanding environmental problems through remining.

Watershed Restoration
The Customer Services Unit ensures that the agency's Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program's watershed restoration projects are selected, designed and constructed using a holistic approach. Watersheds are selected for restoration work based upon priorities established by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy and a number stakeholders, including other state and federal agencies and the public. Watershed projects are conducted in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, LENOWISCO Planning District Commission, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Customer Services serves as the administrator of the federal grants for watershed restoration projects, coordinating matching funds. The Unit coordinates the DMLR special projects and programs for water resource protection, as well the development and maintenance of DMLR programs, such as Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) remediation, and Best Management Practices (BMP). Customer Services also manages DMLR grant activities and related budget formulation, evaluation and coordination.

Hearings and Assessments
Customer Services is responsible for the scheduling of hearings and maintenance of the administrative record, the management of the civil penalty system, the development, updating and approval of DMLR procedures and forms, and the coordination of litigation.

Training
Customer Services is responsible for providing training to the mining industry and to DMLR personnel. Seminars for the industry cover permitting procedures and a variety of technical presentations.

For additional information contact (276) 523-8150 or e-mail.

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