The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has received the 2026 Small Project Award from the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) for emergency work to reclaim an abandoned mine portal beneath a residence in Bridgeport, the commission said in a Sept. 22 news release.
The award was presented Sept. 21 during an Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards ceremony at the 2026 National Association of AML Programs conference in Park City, Utah. According to the RRC, Texas was recognized alongside four other projects at the ceremony.
The Wise County project was carried out by the commission’s Surface Mining and Reclamation Division. Over the years, shifting underground mine conditions and stormwater runoff caused structural collapse and damaged nearby sewer lines at the site, prompting an emergency response to stabilize it and eliminate hazards for the property owner and surrounding community, the release said. The Wise Richey Abandoned Mine Land Emergency Project began Feb. 18, 2026, and was completed March 6, 2026.
“This project exemplifies our commitment to protecting the safety of Texans and the environment while fulfilling the goals of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act,” said RRC Executive Director Wei Wang. “By addressing critical health and safety risks, improving environmental conditions and engaging the local community, this effort demonstrates the meaningful impact our work can have on the people and places we serve.”
Wang noted that it is the second award the commission has received from the U.S. Department of the Interior in the past four years. The RRC previously earned a Small Project Award in 2022 for reclaiming a century-old abandoned mine in East Texas, according to the release.
The annual awards highlight projects nationwide that remediate hazards left by legacy coal mines and return affected land to safe and beneficial use, the commission said.
The RRC’s Abandoned Mine Land Program is fully federally funded and implements Title IV of the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Through the program, the commission restores land and water resources affected by mining practices that predate the 1977 law, with the goal of protecting the public from the effects of historical mining and supporting the long-term health of Texas communities, according to the release.