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Citizen Participation In The Regulation Of Surface Mining, Joshua I. Barrett

West Virginia Law Review

Public participation in the regulatory process has become increasingly common in recent years, especially in environmental matters. The West Virginia Surface Mining and Reclamation Act contains a number of devices by which citizens can present their views concerning proposed strip mines and can compel enforcement of the Act's provisions. The federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, by allowing citizen access to almost every phase of the regulatory process, opens even more avenues for participation than are currently available in West Virginia and other states. An invitation to citizens to take part in these regulatory and enforcement activities …