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Vita for

Victoria J. Bryan

d.b.a. Financial Assurance Consulting Services
Boulder, Colorado

e-mail: Victoria.Bryan-FACS@Comcast.net
Tel. 303-444-6765

Financial Assurance Consulting Services (Consultant on Bonding and Financial Assurance for Mine Closure and Environmental Remediation)

Principal. Technical training and consulting on Bonding and Financial Assurance for mine reclamation and closure are provided to state and federal governmental units including environmental regulatory agencies, government contracting officers, and government auditors. Expert technical services are also provided to academia, private industry, interested citizens, and the surety industry. Specific services include quality control audits of bonding systems and instruments, expert testimony, regulation development, technical training, research, white papers, and presentations on performance bonding and financial assurance. 2002 to the present.

U.S. Department of the Interior/Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) (Federal Regulatory Agency)

Reclamation Bonding Specialist. Determined the technical and legal adequacy of reclamation performance bonds posted with the Federal Office of Surface Mining (OSM) for Coal mines under OSM's jurisdiction on Indian Lands and in Federal Program States. Determined whether Bonds submitted by mine permittees complied with the Federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) and attendant regulations at 30 CFR Part 800. Bond instruments included Corporate Surety Bonds, Letters of Credit, Collateral Bonds, Certificates of Deposit, Investment-grade Securities, and Self-Bonds for a total value of over $500 million. Reviewed Financial Statements to determine whether applicants for Self-bonding met the qualifying financial tests. Advised permittees and sureties how to comply with regulatory requirements and what corrective actions were needed when Bonds were not acceptable. Reviewed proposed State and Federal Bonding and Financial Assurance regulations. Determined whether proposed State Bonding regulations were as stringent and effective as the existing Federal counterpart regulations. As requested, served as an Expert Witness at hearings on proposed regulations and legal cases having to do with violations of Bonding provisions. Provided Technical Assistance and Technical Training on Reclamation Bonding to States, mining industry, and OSM staff on a National level. Served as the Lead Instructor for OSM's national technical training course on the 'Administrative and Legal Aspects of Bonding.' Served on OSM's International training team to instruct International customers on reclamation bonding. Reviewed mining permit applications submitted for coal mining to OSM to determine whether an applicant was complying with statutory (SMCRA) requirements for reclamation Bonding, public liability Insurance, and the right to mine. Served on OSM Mine Teams that reviewed, issued and administered coal mining permits under OSM's jurisdiction. As requested, conducted Oversight Evaluations of Cooperative Agreement States to determine their compliance with Bonding requirements of State program statutes, regulations, and the Bonding provisions of State/Federal cooperative agreements. Served as a member of OSM's National ad hoc team on Reclamation Bonding to develop solutions to complex bonding issues with national significance. 1987 - 2002.

State of Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (State Regulatory Agency)

Mine Permit Evaluation Specialist. Reviewed and evaluated mining Permit Applications and Reclamation Bonds for Coal and other Minerals mining within the State. Responsible for reviewing and managing Reclamation Bonds totaling $1 billion. Evaluated coal mining permit applications with respect to Financial, Compliance, Bonding, and Insurance requirements of the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act and SMCRA. Evaluated Permit Applications for non-coal minerals mining including Environmental and Financial requirements. Conducted on-site Inspections of mining operations to determine compliance with the Environmental requirements of the State statute and regulations. Wrote detailed Inspection Reports and issued Notices of Violation when applicable. Responded to and resolved Citizens Complaints with respect to active mining operations. 1981 - 1987.

State of Colorado Department of Natural Resources (State Regulatory Agency)

Environmental Engineering Aide. Conducted Field Investigations of Abandoned Mine Sites throughout the State of Colorado to generate the State of Colorado's inventory of Abandoned Mine sites that could be eligible for federal funding for remediation and reclamation. Located old mine sites and then documented exact locations and diagramed configurations of the sites. Determined the extent of environmental damage and safety hazards at these sites. Rated each site for priority rehabilitation based upon environmental degradation and public safety hazards Recommended a reclamation method for each site under Title IV of SMCRA. 1980 - 1981.

EDUCATION: B.A. in Environmental Conservation. Department of Physical Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. 1981.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation; The National Association for Female Executives

HONORS: Featured in a U.S. Department of the Interior publication highlighting women within the Department who advanced the Department's mission: Profile of Women at Work in the U.S. Department of the Interior. October, 1990.