I am amazed that Canada has no plan to clean up the tailings. In the US every ton of coal is taxed, to clean up the sins of the past. Of course the US government has only spent half of the money in the promised fashion:
"The AML Fund has collected $11.496 billion through a reclamation fee assessed on each ton of coal that is produced. OSMRE has distributed $5.935 billion in AML grants to states and tribes from the collected fees. An additional $1.511 billion was transferred to United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Health and Retirement Funds, and $1.816 billion has been used for OSMRE operating expenses and AML emergencies. $2.233 billion of the AML Fund remains unappropriated."
On the other hand, orphan (no owner can be established) oil and gas wells are plugged by the states, with funds generated by a tax/fee on production. The states put out a lot of effort to find the owners of wells and force plugging. I know of at least one well, that neither the state or the owner can find, but the state required it to be plugged anyways! Probably never drilled, but the records from the pre 1920's are incomplete to say the least. Oh, how do states make companies plug wells? Simple, if you do not meet your goals, no new drilling permits. Now there is an incentive.
