Published by TU Law Digital Commons, 1987 TULSA LAW JOURNAL [Vol. 23:593 state governments buried the intent of the SMCRA to address the environmental concerns prevalent in the late 1970's. The administration of the SMCRA in the following decade called attention to the problems of implementing and enforcing legislation considered to be in the public's best interest regardless of the conflict between good intentions and prevailing reality. The interaction of the federal government and the states

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... raised questions about the consequences of the reach of the federal government and the dividing line between public interest and individual rights.' Intertwined with these concerns were the coal industry's pride and its role in a turbulent economy.