Cecil D. Andrus, Secretary of the Interior v. P-Burg Coal Co., Inc.

P-Burg Coal Company, Inc. (P-Burg) conducts- a surface mining operation in Clay County, Indiana. On August 16, 1979, two authorized representatives of the Department of Interior appeared at P-Burg’s mine site to conduct an investigation pursuant to Section 502(e) of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1977. 1 They presented their credentials to an officer of P-Burg and informed him of the purpose of their visit. The officer refused to admit the Department officials because they had no search warrant, and the officials left without making an inspection. The Secretary then brought the…