Mine Superintendent Rusty Bush accepted the award on behalf of the company. This marks the third year Vindex has been selected for this honor; the company also earned Maryland State Excellence in Reforestation awards in 2008 and 2007. Vindex, which is an operating subsidiary of Arch Coal, also earned the Maryland Land Reclamation Committee’s 2009 Reclamation Award for outstanding mine-reclamation accomplishments.
“We’re proud to be a proven leader in mine reclamation,” said Mike Moore, general manager, Vindex. “Vindex pioneered the Forestry Reclamation Approach in 2007, becoming the first mining company to utilize the reclamation practice in Maryland and setting the standard for reforestation on mined lands throughout the state.”
The ARRI coalition was formed in 2004 and is supported by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining. The Maryland Department of the Environment adopted the Forestry Reclamation Approach in 2005. The approach expedites the establishment of forest habitat and encourages planting of high-value hardwood trees.
