Luminant Honored with Award of Excellence for its Reclamation and Restoration of Previously Mined Land
Federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Recognizes Work at Monticello-Winfield Mine in East Texas
IRVING, Texas, Oct. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) today announced Luminant, a subsidiary of Vistra (NYSE: VST), as a recipient of its 2021 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Award for the work done to reclaim and restore previously mined land at its Monticello-Winfield Mine. The award recognizes companies that achieve the most exemplary coal mine reclamation in the nation.
"This award is a testament to our long history of applying sound science and agricultural practices in our mine reclamation efforts," said Vistra CEO Curt Morgan. "The men and women of Luminant always have a goal of returning the land to a more sustainable condition than before mining began, planting and creating vast acres of forests, wildlife habitat, pastures, and water resources. In this new era of ESG, the OSM is celebrating those that live their commitments to restoring sites used for business purposes to an even better condition after use. The Monticello-Winfield Mine is a shining example of Luminant's follow-through on its commitments to the environment and land management, and the extraordinary work our people do."
Mining activities began in 1974 at the Monticello-Winfield Mine, near Mt. Pleasant, Texas, and continued until 2015, providing coal to fuel the nearby Monticello Power Plant. Over that time, more than 15,500 acres were mined and are now reclaimed. The OSM Award specifically recognizes the work done in the 418-acre section of the mine called the H-area.
- Following reclamation, 34% of the H-area is now considered prime farmland soil, compared to 21% pre-mining.
- More than 780,000 pine tree seedlings were planted in the H-area, far surpassing industry norms and regulatory standards.
- The area's total amount of wetlands, ponds, and streams grew from 35 acres pre-mining to 226 acres following reclamation.
Morgan continued, "I'd like to thank the OSM and the Railroad Commission of Texas for the critical roles they play and their commitment to the spirit of the Surface Mining Act. Collaborative efforts between federal and state agencies and industries like ours accomplish great things and can truly strike a balance between protecting the environment and the need for safe and reliable energy sources."
Luminant has a long history of environmental stewardship, reclaiming land long before federal or state law required it. Click here to learn more about the Monticello-Winfield Mine reclamation.
About Luminant
Luminant, a subsidiary of Vistra (NYSE: VST), is a competitive power generation business, including mining, wholesale marketing and trading, and development operations. Luminant has approximately 39,000 megawatts of generation across 12 states, powered by a diverse portfolio of natural gas, nuclear, coal, solar, and battery storage facilities. The company operates in six of the seven competitive markets in the U.S. Vistra is a premier, integrated retail electricity and power generation company based in Texas, combining an innovative, customer-centric approach to retail with a focus on safe, reliable, and efficient power generation. Visit luminant.com and vistracorp.com for additional information.
SOURCE Luminant
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