1975 Scorecard Vote
The Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act of 1975 (H.R. 25). The vote is on the McDade amendment to abolish the proposed per ton reclamation fee on coal and finance reclamation of abandoned lands with an annual $200 million allocation from revenues of Outer Continental Shelf Leasing. Environmentalists opposed the amendment because they believe that the environmental damage done by strip mining should be internalized and included as part of the production costs of coal. The OCS revenues are already needed to pay for other environmental programs, and environmentalists also hoped that the reclamation fees would help the deep mine industry compete with strip mining. Rejected 140-250. March 17, 1975. ÒNOÓ is the correct vote.
pro-environment position