The citizen award program was established as part of the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Office of Surface Mining (OSM). The purpose of this awards program is to recognize outstanding contributions by coalfield citizens and grassroots organizations in the implementation of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, commonly referred to as SMCRA. Citizen participation is at the heart of the surface mining program. SMCRA would not have come into being without the sustained efforts of the coalfield citizens crusading to end the environmental abuses of the past and shift the country to new ways of mining coal with built-in safeguards for people and the environment.

When SMCRA was enacted, it created many avenues for citizens' involvement. Thus, individual citizens have a statutory role in practically every phase of the surface mining program from permit issuance to bond release and everything in between. Since SMCRA has been on the books, coalfield citizens have used those rights to help shape virtually all of the policies and programs that govern surface coal mining and reclamation in America.

Each anniversary, whether it be personal, family, community, State, national, or for a government program like the surface mining program, is a time of celebration, reflection and renewal. At this, the 20th year anniversary mark of SMCRA, it is fitting to recognize those whose contributions have meant the most. We are taking this opportunity to publicly recognize an individual for her tireless efforts on behalf the coalfield environment from the damaging effects of coal mining. The fact that both the environment and the coal industry have thrived since 1977 is testimony to the value of public participation in the surface mining program. In recognition of that fact, I would like to present OSM's first Citizen Partnership Award for Community Involvement to Ms. Hazel King. But before I present this award, I would like to talk about Hazel's involvement in the surface coal mining program since the early beginnings of OSM.

Hazel became a citizen activist, in those first fledgling days of OSM, working for the good of her community and the protection of the environment from the adverse effects of surface coal mining operations. Her first contact with OSM was in May 1978, when she filed a citizen complaint about coal mine (Eastern-Deaton Coal Company) in Harlan County, Kentucky. This active surface coal mine operation was severely impacting the local community and environment. As a result of Hazel's contact, the first enforcement actions under SMCRA were written. This was on May 17, 1978, and from that point on, the coalfields would never be the same.

Sincerity is the watchword for Hazel. OSM has never known her to file a complain that ever had any hint of an ulterior motive other than for the good of the community and the environment. When people in the community were having problems with mining, they would come to Hazel for help. In fact, she has been confused by many of the people to be an employee of OSM. As a result of her tireless efforts, Hazel was made an honorary "citizen inspector" by OSM in the late 1980's. Hazel's contributions to her community and the environment goes far beyond the norm and is certainly worthy of receiving recognition that she so righteously deserves. Therefore, I take great pride and honor in presenting the first ever OSM Citizen Partnership Award for Community Involvement to Hazel King.

There are three types of awards, a regional award, a partnership award, and a Director's award. The regional award can be presented to either an individual or organization judged most exemplary in the Region. Each OSM Region present one of these awards. The partnership award is to recognize an individual or organization in one of the following categories:

The Director's award will be presented to an individual for lifetime contributions to the use of the surface mining law provision to help shape virtually all of the policies and programs that govern surface coal mining and reclamation in America.

Any individual coalfield citizen or local grassroots organization that have been involved with the surface mining law is eligibility to receive an award.

The nomination process consist of a yearly notification and call for nomination packages for the award program, review by State and OSM personnel for completeness and supplemental information, and submission of the nominations packages to OSM Headquarters for judging. A panel of seven judges reflecting the OSM regional structure will make recommendation of the citizen award winners to the Director and then the announcement of the award winners.

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