RECLAMATION

(1) The process of land treatment that minimizes water degradation, air pollution, damage to aquatic or wildlife habitat, flooding, erosion, and other adverse effects from surface mining operations including adverse surface effects incidental to underground mines, so that mine lands are reclaimed to a usable condition which is readily adaptable for alternate land uses and creates no danger to public health or safety. The process may extend to affected land surrounding mining lands, and may require backfilling, grading, resoiling, revegetation, soil compaction, stabilization, and other measures. (2) May also apply to other land uses and land types, for example, the reclaiming of waste, desert, marshy or submerged land for cultivation, preservation, reuse, etc.