On Wed, 24 Aug 2011 05:00:13 -0700 (PDT), bob haller
wrote:

mined out coal areas can and are being restored

Except for Centralia, Pennsylvania.

The coal mine has been burring since 1962.

"...All properties in the borough were claimed under eminent domain by
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1992 (and all buildings therein
were condemned), and Centralia's ZIP code was revoked by the Post
Office in 2002.[1] However, a few residents continue to reside there
in spite of the failure of a lawsuit to reverse the eminent domain
claim."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centralia,_Pennsylvania