Regulations enforcing better environment protection in Polish coal mines

Polish coal mining industry is unprofitable. In 1998 year the Council of Ministers launched the 'Reform of coal mining industry in Poland in the years 1998 - 2002'. This 'Reform' assumes a deep restructuring of the industry with the aim to make it economically efficient and sounder to environment. After one year of the 'Reform' realization it occurred that mainly because of the dramatic change in the coal market in Poland, some additional legal regulation are needed to achieve the aims of the reform. In the 'Correction' of the reform, in spite of deeper technical restructuring of the industry, including additional mines closing, a special stress is put on regulations concerning investments for environmental protection. The paper describes general regulations concerning environment protection in mineral industry and the specific solutions proposed for coal mines in restructuring process in a wide view of the present economic situation of coal mines. 4 refs