strip mining

Abandoned mine lands are supposed to be properly reclaimed—stabilized and reforested to preserve water quality and prevent erosion. But hundreds of thousands of acres of old strip mines remain unclaimed, and many mines that shuttered before 1977 were reclaimed in an antiquated style that doesn’t reflect today’s best practices.

In eastern Kentucky’s Pike County, some residents have suffered numerous damaging flash floods. State inspectors say the floods were made worse by a…