6d. North Dakota Regulations
The early 20th Century industrial practices caused lasting damage to the environment. That led to regulatory developments in the 1960s and 1970s. Tap/hover over the cards to learn more.
1969
The 1969 North Dakota Strip Mine Lands Act required mining companies to remove the tops of orphan spoils, plant grasses and seedlings to control erosion.
1971
The Strip Mine Lands Act was revised to require mining companies to gather input from landowners on reclamation.
1973
Lawmakers identified the state’s need to conserve soil. Mining companies were now required by law to:
• Regrade mined lands to approximate original contours
• Remove 2 feet of topsoil prior to mining and respread during reclamation
• Capture and treat runoff water from mine site
1975
Revisions to the reclamation law required that mining companies restore mined land used for agriculture and grazing to a productivity level equal to or better than its pre-mining productivity.
