Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1973 to protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for the management of the endangered species’ lists and developing conservation programs to ensure their survival.

Regarding abandoned mines, the Endangered Species Act may provide a regulatory tool when pollution from a mine site is contributing to the degradation of a listed species’ critical habitat. In some states, mine reclamation plans have been designed to incorporate the needs of listed bat species which are dependent on abandoned mines for habitat during all or part of the year.

Engangered Species Act – US Fish and Wildlife Service 
http://endangered.fws.gov/esa.html