Pennsylvania DEP Restores 960 Acres of Abandoned Mine Lands, Degraded Streams in 2008
Posted on: Tuesday, 3 March 2009, 09:00 CST
Agency Invests $32 Million to Complete 57 Abandoned Mine Reclamation Projects
HARRISBURG, Pa., March 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental Protection acting Secretary John Hanger reported today that DEP completed 57 abandoned mine reclamation projects in 2008 that reclaimed more than 960 acres of mine-scarred lands and will restore life to dead streams.
Hanger said abandoned mine lands endanger the public and limit economic development and recreational opportunities in former mining communities.
"We are reclaiming more than just abandoned mine lands - we are reclaiming entire communities that have struggled for years to overcome the scars of our industrial past," Hanger said. "The projects completed in 2008 pumped $32 million into Pennsylvania's economy and provided millions more in indirect benefits by returning former wastelands to productive use, eliminating significant safety hazards, and restoring life to long-dead streams."
In addition to the projects completed in 2008, another 47 reclamation projects are underway in Pennsylvania that will reclaim 1,710 acres of abandoned mine lands at a projected cost of nearly $57.8 million.
The largest source of funding for the reclamation of mine sites in Pennsylvania is the federal Abandoned Mine Lands Fund, which is overseen by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining. The fund is supported by a fee on the modern mining industry and is distributed to states as annual grants to reclaim mine sites that were abandoned prior to passage of the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.
Other funding sources include Growing Greener grants, which are used primarily to fund mine drainage projects through local watershed groups, and forfeitures of reclamation bonds that are posted by mining companies to cover the cost of reclaiming mine sites if the company is unable or unwilling to complete site restoration once mining is finished.
DEP also operates innovative programs to encourage modern coal companies to reopen abandoned mines that still contain mineable coal reserves and complete reclamation at no cost to the taxpayers. In 2008, 10 such mining contracts were completed, reclaiming 131 acres of abandoned mine lands and eliminating nearly 5,000 feet of dangerous highwall at a value to the commonwealth of more than $220,000.
"Since Governor Rendell took office in 2003, DEP's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation has committed more than $153 million to 258 abandoned mine reclamation projects, reclaiming more than 6,040 acres," Hanger said. "Pennsylvania has the largest abandoned mine problem in the nation, and we are using every available funding option to reclaim these sites and find innovative ways to turn these environmental problems into opportunities for economic growth and improved quality of life in our urban and rural communities."
Governor Rendell was instrumental in working with Congress and other coal mining states to extend abandoned mine funds for another 15 years. Pennsylvania will receive $29 million from the fund in 2009 and is projected to receive $1.1 billion by 2022.
Congress also authorized states to set aside up to 30 percent of each annual grant for the abatement and treatment of acid mine discharges. Pennsylvania will use those resources to fund construction and long-term operation and maintenance costs for hundreds of necessary mine drainage treatment facilities statewide.
Pennsylvania has approximately 180,000 acres of abandoned mine lands dating back to when coal mining began in the commonwealth in the 1700s. More than two billion tons of waste coal sit in piles across the state and an estimated 4,600 miles of rivers and streams are degraded by mine drainage.
For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Abandoned Mines.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a list, by county, of the abandoned mine reclamation and acid mine drainage remediation projects completed in 2008 and the funding source for each project (OSM = U.S. Office of Surface Mining / GG = Growing Greener / BF = Bond Forfeiture):
Allegheny County
South Fayette Township - Design of passive treatment system to treat the 400 gallon-per-minute Presto-Sygan mine discharge into the Chartiers Creek. $48,069 (GG)
Armstrong County
Redbank Township - Charlestown Southwest. Reclamation of 12 acres of mine lands with 1,499 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 14 acres of mine spoil. $159,724.60 (OSM-$79,725 / GG-$80,000)
Butler County
Allegheny Township - Eau Claire Southeast. Reclamation of 1,500 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 12.1 acres of mine spoil. $226,290 (OSM-$197,000 / GG-$29,290)
Cherry Township - Annandale Southwest. Reclamation of 6,500 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 80.6 acres of abandoned mine lands. $1,558,729 (OSM)
Cherry Township - Coaltown South. Reclamation of 1,500 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 12.3 acres of abandoned mine lands. $200,398 (OSM-$145,492 / GG-$54,906)
Cherry Township - Findlay Run West. Reclamation of 23.2 acres of abandoned mine lands with 3,300 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 16 acres of mine spoil. $501,941 (OSM-$90,000 / GG-$411,941)
Slippery Rock Township - Slippery Rock South. Reclamation of 23.8 acres of mine lands including 3,000 linear feet of highwall. $269,543 (OSM-$80,000 / GG-$189,543)
West Liberty Township - West Liberty East. Reclamation of 4.8 acres of mine lands including a hazardous water body and 2 acres of mine spoil. $86,680 (OSM-$35,141 / GG-$51,539)
Cambria County
Barr Township - Barnes Watkins Phase 2. Reclamation of 11.5 acres of mine lands and 16 acres of dangerous waste pile. $3,159,285 (OSM)
Chest Township - Wyerough Run North. Reclamation of 31.5 acres of mine lands with 4600 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 22.5 acres of spoil piles. $495,713 (OSM-$147,694 / GG-$348,019)
Centre County
Rush Township - Assessment and development of restoration plan for Shimel Run watershed. $15,000 (GG).
Snowshoe Township - Mine and reclaim 2.4 acres of mine lands containing 572 linear feet of dangerous highwall at bond forfeiture mine site on state gamelands. No Cost
Clarion County
Clarion Township - Glacial Minerals Inc. (Reed). Reclamation of 12.4 acres of mine lands and a 150 gallon-per-minute acidic discharge. $1,169,577 (BF-$85,271 / GG-$1,084,306)
Clarion Township - Glacial Minerals Inc., (Strattanville). Reclamation of 14.3 acres of mine lands and a 200 gallon per minute acidic discharge. $1,694,566 (GG)
Clearfield County
Beccaria Township - BCI Waterline Construction to provide potable water to 35 locations with water sources polluted by mining. $70,158 (OSM)
Boggs Township - Hill Coal Co. Reclamation of 34 acres of mine lands with 2,600 linear feet of highwall. $425,310 (OSM-$390,310 / BF-$35,000)
Boggs Township - Relocation of headwaters of Emigh Run away from mine spoil piles. $122,260 (GG)
Bradford Township - McDowell Mountain South. Reclamation of 54 acres of mine lands with 4,000 linear feet of dangerous highwall. $772,109 (OSM)
Cooper Township - Mine and reclaim 12.5 acres of abandoned mine lands containing 1650 linear feet of dangerous highwall. No Cost
Decatur Township - Mine and reclaim 26 acres of mine lands at bond forfeiture mine site. No Cost
Girard Township - Start-up of watershed group to advance the reclamation of Deer Creek. $1,400 (GG)
Goshen Township - Goshen South. Reclamation of 6.5 acres of mine lands with 650 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 5.5 acres of spoil piles. $110,268 (OSM)
Woodward Township - Sanbourn East. Reclamation of 4 acres of mine lands with 750 linear feet of dangerous highwall, a hazardous water body and 2 acres of spoil piles. $63,552 (OSM)
Elk County
Benezette Township - Dents Run. Reclamation of 54.9 acres of mine lands with 6,500 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 39 acres of mine spoil. $829,925 (OSM-$408,203 / GG-$421,722)
Benezette Township - Dents Run Winslow Hill. Reclamation of multiple mine discharges. $3,027,926 (OSM-$2,817,926 / GG-$210,000)
Multiple Sites - Collection of Powdered Metals from Iron Oxide (mine drainage) Sludge. $75,050 (OSM)
Horton Township - Design, construction and evaluation of additional sedimentation pond at the Brandy Camp Treatment Plant. $50,000 (GG)
Horton Township - Mine and reclaim 30 acres of abandoned mine lands containing 1,000 linear feet of dangerous highwall. No Cost
Jay Township - Kersey. Reclamation of 87.9 acres of mine lands with 4,850 linear feet of dangerous highwall, a mine opening and 16.5 acres of mine spoil. $2,684,487.09 (OSM-$570,300 / GG-$2,114,187.09)
Fayette County
German Township - Mine and reclaim 9.5 acres of subsidence area on abandoned mine lands. No Cost
German Township - Mine and reclaim 13 acres of subsidence area on abandoned mine lands. No Cost
Nicholson Township - Mine and reclaim 8 acres of abandoned mine lands containing 1300 linear feet of dangerous highwall. No Cost
North Union Township - Percy Mine Fire. Extinguish 70 acre underground mine fire. $3,554,000 (OSM)
Springfield Township - Kooser Road Water Line. Provide potable water to 31 locations with water sources polluted by mining. $298,904 (OSM-$114,459.53 / BF-$184,445)
Indiana County
Center Township - Assessment & investigation of mine drainage remediation alternatives for the Sipos Mine on the Blacklick Creek. $27,000 (GG)
Conemaugh Township - Improvements to Big Run #2 passive mine drainage treatment system. $30,000 (GG)
Conemaugh Township - Improvements to Big Run #2 passive mine drainage treatment system. $44,000 (GG)
Grant Township - Mine and reclaim 2 acres of abandoned mine lands containing 475 linear feet of dangerous highwall on state gamelands - No Cost
Rayne Township - Tanoma South. Reclamation of 2,000 gallon per minute mine discharge. $218,435.67 (OSM)
Young Township - Design and permitting of Whiskey Run #9 passive mine drainage treatment system. $24,000 (GG)
Jefferson County
Union Township - Site assessment & design of two passive mine drainage treatment systems. $40,000 (GG)
Washington Township - Mine and reclaim 15 acres of abandoned mine lands. No Cost
Lackawanna County
Olyphant Borough - Eddy Creek. Reclamation of 15.3 acres of mine lands and reopening of 1/10 mile of clogged stream. $3,781,418 (OSM-$274,526 / GG-$1,790,979 / Other State Funds-$1,715,913)
Luzerne County
Hazle Township - Hollars Hill. Reclamation of 135.1 acres of mine lands with 3,500 linear feet of dangerous highwall, 2 mine openings, 13 acres of mine pit and 98 acres of mine spoil. $2,709,918 (OSM)
Hazleton City - Cranberry Ridge. Reclamation of 140 acres of mine lands with 3,300 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 2 acres of mine pit. $1,355,000 (OSM)
Jenkins Township - reclamation of 377 acres of abandoned mine lands to create industrial/commerce park. $200,000 (GG)
Swoyersville Borough - Harry E. Breaker. Reclamation of 29.2 acres of mine lands and removal of hazardous equipment and facilities. $394,026 (OSM-$190,000 / GG-$204,026)
Mercer County
Jackson and Lake townships - Design and installation of aerobic wetland treatment system as part of the Fox Run restoration project. $80,000 (GG).
Northumberland County
Coal Township - Assessment and design of mine drainage treatment system to address the Maysville borehole in Ranshaw. $29,403 (GG)
Schuylkill County
Cass Township - Remediation of sources of mine drainage to the Pine Knot-Oak Hill discharge tunnel. $200,000 (GG)
Girardville Borough - Design of passive mine drainage treatment system for Iron-Hydroxide recovery at the Packer #5 discharge. $60,000 (GG)
Pottsville City - North Slope Sharp Mountain Phase IV. Reclamation of 2,100 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 3.7 acres of mine pits. $422,510 (OSM-$375,424 / GG-$47,086)
Tioga County
Bloss Township - Rehabilitation of Arnot #2 Anoxic Limestone Drain mine drainage treatment system. $21,731 (GG)
Ward Township - Design and permitting of mine drainage treatment system in the Fall Brook Creek portion of the Tioga River. $45,600 (GG)
Venango County
Irwin Township - Woods Corners. Reclamation of 38.3 acres of mine lands with 4,970 linear feet of dangerous highwall and 38.3 acres of mine spoil. $603,627 (OSM-$150,000 / GG-$453,627)
Westmoreland County
Salem Township - Mine and reclaim 12.2 acres of abandoned mine lands. No Cost
Unity Township - Modifications and improvements to the Monastery Run improvement project. $30,162 (GG)
CONTACT: Tom Rathbun
(717) 787-1323
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Source: PR Newswire
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